


I Never Meant to Fall In Love

by K8e_Cre8s



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Character Death, Cunnilingus, Domestic Violence, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Loss of Parent(s), Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, Mental Health Issues, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sex, Shower Sex, Suicide Attempt, Therapy, Tragic Romance, True Mates, Vaginal Fingering, Wedding Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 154,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26219581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K8e_Cre8s/pseuds/K8e_Cre8s
Summary: Shane's miserable existence in shit-town is challenged by the arrival of the new farmer, Ashley but it would take a lot more than a simple life on a farm with a beautiful woman to fix him.
Relationships: Ashley Webber - Farmer (OC), Eric Winters (OC), Female - Relationship, Shane (Stardew Valley)/Original Character(s), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 42





	1. Close Encounters of the Shane Kind

**Author's Note:**

> I took a lot of creative liberties with this Fanfic. Plus, the heart scenes aren't necessarily in the right order and I didn't feel the need to incorporate all of them. If you enjoy the story, please leave a comment or Kudos! Stay safe, my lovelies!

It was a cold, rainy fall day when Shane trudged through the mud, hands stuffed into his blue jacket pockets with hood up on his way to the Saloon.  _ Shitty weather for a shitty day. _ The rain hit him in the face like tiny needles when the wind whipped around him, causing Shane to squint and shiver.  _ I’m going to be soaked to the bone by the time I get there.  _

Shane barely shook off the rain before stepping inside the Stardrop Saloon and headed straight for the fireplace, the leftover water dripped off him leaving a trail. He heard Gus mumble something about wiping his feet before grabbing a mop to clean up the mess. 

Emily had already poured a pint and was sliding it across the bar. “Pretty nasty weather, huh, Shane?” she asked, resting her elbow on the smooth wood for a moment until he grunted his thanks so she turned to busy herself with straightening glasses behind the counter. 

He was the first person to come in on this dreary Wednesday night. Why would anyone in their right mind be out in this mess on purpose? Shane had been out of his right mind for so long he couldn’t remember what a normal life felt like. Not that his life had ever been normal. No, life had always found some way to fuck him over and then laugh about it later. The only good thing he could count was his god-daughter, Jas. Well, and his Aunt Marnie. They were the only two people in the world that gave a shit about him and the only people he’d do anything for but don’t tell Marnie that.

The warmth from the fire did little to lift his spirits but it did warm him up. Watching the steam from the rain rise in tendrils around him, he waited a few minutes before turning around to his backside. Shane closed his eyes, focusing on the blackness of the back of his eyelids and let out a deep breath. The door creaked open but Shane didn’t have to open his eyes to know it was Pam. When you hear the same shuffling footsteps on the same wooden floor for months, your memory creates a place card of that person. Much like the memory of the new farmer that just moved here. 

Five months ago she moved into that old, rundown farm just above Marnie’s place. On the first day she went around town to introduce herself and, by the time she made it to the Saloon, Shane had just settled into his little corner, tucked away to nurse his first drink in peace. He remembered watching the farmer come through the door with a tired but happy grin on her face. Her long brown hair tied back with a red and white polka dot ribbon. She looked around the tavern with her bright brown eyes and when she locked eyes with his, her face flushed pink and she looked away with a small grin. Shane had just frowned and looked away quickly so the farmer wouldn’t come over to him so she made her way over to Gus and Emily. Shane had been focusing so intently at the knots in the floorboards that he didn’t notice the farmer had come up to him. A whiff of lavender and vanilla was followed by the spicy hot scent of freshly cooked pepper poppers. 

Shane remembered how she had pushed the plate over to him and he just stared dumbly and muttered, “I don’t know you.” The farmer’s smile had disappeared and the cute pink blush of her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. She had frowned in confusion and walked away, quickly leaving the Saloon. 

As Shane recalled the memory, he remembered thinking,  _ What a weirdo. Who moves to the middle of nowhere and buys a stranger food?  _ It hadn’t made sense until the farmer started showing up at the Saloon almost every night at 5:30 for the next few weeks, bringing gifts to everyone and talking to him.  _ The farmer was obviously trying to butter up the people in town so why wouldn’t she bother with the town drunk? Makes sense, just...leave me out of it… _

He’d said all manner of rude things to dissuade her attention but she just kept coming back.  _ She must be mental. Why would anyone want to be my friend? I’ve been in this fucking town for seven months and no one else gaves a shit...except for Marnie and Jas, but they were family.  _ Every time this farmer, Ashley, was around Shane she was stealing glances or, when she got the nerve to, would come up to say hello. She was persistent, he gave her that, but why was it so important to be friends with everybody in town?  _ Maybe she likes you, _ he had thought a few nights ago but that was HIM being mental. Shane was only twenty nine but felt old after all the shit in his past he’s had to deal with.  _ I’m out of shape and the farmer would be more interested in someone like Alex maybe. They seemed about the same age. _

Lost in his thoughts about Ashley, Shane was listening to the thunder outside when the door opened. The wind whipped in bringing with it the scent of lavender and vanilla which snapped Shane out of his thoughts. His eyes flew open just as she had turned to close the door against a sudden gust of wind and driving rain that was coming in sideways. Before she could turn around, Shane had ducked into his usual corner and gave all his attention to the beer in his hands. He felt her eyes on him as the farmer made her way over to where he stood, muddy boots stamping on the floor. 

“Hi, Shane,” she said simply and took the stool closest to him. 

_ Why does she have to sit there? The whole damn place is empty and the farmer sits next to me. Marnie must have put her up to it.  _ “What do you want, farmer?” Shane replied gruffly before tipping his beer back to drain the stein. 

“You can call me, Ashley, you know,” she replied sweetly but there was a bit of hurt in her voice. Picking at her fingers to avoid eye contact, she still couldn’t help but blush. Why was Shane always so brash around her? She couldn’t help developing a crush after seeing him that first day and then, whenever she saw him in town with Jas, how he seemed less of a grump. There was more to Shane than he let people see and she was drawn to him in a way she couldn’t understand.

Shane was cursing to himself.  _ Dammit! Why is she always blushing around me? Marnie definitely put her up to it. There’s no way someone this sweet, someone that has such great skin, smells so nice and has such kissable lips like those would ever be interested in a guy like me.  _ “Whatever, farmer,” Shane replied, putting a little extra emphasis on ‘farmer’ and put his glass down. With Ashley still looking at him, he shifted uncomfortably and motioned Emily for a refill. He nervously ran a hand through his dark violet hair to fix it and wondered why he suddenly cared what he looked like?

The way Ashley was looking at him, annoyed but determined and sad all at once made him feel like an ass. He really didn’t have any reason to be so mean. She was new to the town and wanted a friend. Why the farmer would want to bother with an alcoholic asshole was beyond him but he decided to ease up a little, strictly out of curiosity. 

“Look, Ashley. You don’t have to be friends with me. I’m sure Marnie gave you a good speech and all but I would rather be alone,” Shane explained, giving her the out she was probably looking for. 

Ashely furrowed her brow in confusion, “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Besides, what does Marnie have to do with us anyways?” She left that right there for him to muddle on. Every week for two whole seasons she had shown up at the Saloon, sometimes buying Shane a beer or some pepper poppers if Gus made them. Something about Shane had intrigued her since the moment she laid eyes on him her first day; the deep sadness she felt mirrored in his own eyes. There was also the magnetic pull she had hoped Shane felt, too, but it was becoming obvious that he didn’t. His gruff exterior was hiding a kind-hearted person, she knew, but had been unsuccessful in breaking it. 

Shane was even more confused. Plus, Ashley had referred to them as ‘us’. There was no ‘us’. He didn’t know the farmer and she didn’t know him.  _ You won’t let anyone close enough, dumbass. She’s been coming here for months and always ends up talking to you.  _ He shifted again and downed half his beer. 

“Nothing. Why are you bothering me?” he asked darkly, just wanting to be left the fuck alone to wallow in his own misery. Shane felt Ashley staring at him but couldn’t look at her. If he did, she would have his attention and he wasn’t worthy of it. 

She finally looked away and scoffed, a look of sudden understanding came across her face.  _ Shane isn’t interested in you _ , she thought. Ashley shook her head slowly, “Alright. I get it. You’re just not interested in me. I won’t bother you anymore.” She pushed herself up and headed for the door without looking back.

Shane just stood there staring at the door in disbelief as her words sunk in. He had misjudged her affections completely...but it was just as well. Ashley deserves someone better than the broken husk of a man that he had become.  _ So why are you fighting the urge to run after her? _ Besides, the storm outside was picking up and Shane was in no hurry to leave.  _ Ashley is walking home in this storm…upset because of you, asshole. _

Shane’s face turned white at the thought. He sat his mug down on the counter before quickly heading out the door. Gus yelled after him but, even thought he couldn’t hear it, he knew what he said.  _ Just add it to my tab... _

Pulling his hoodie up, he surveyed south and north to see if he could spot Ashley but the rain was coming down in sheets and Shane couldn’t see farther than five feet in front of him. Figuring she would most likely take the most direct path home, Shane started jogging toward the bus stop. The mud sucked at his shoes, threatening to steal them away but he kept steady. Lightning cracked the sky open, sending flashes of that eerily lit the night. Another crack of lightning, another flash of light. Shane saw a lump in the middle of the road up ahead and his chest tightened.

Moving quicker, he came up to it and realized it was just Ashley’s backpack. A wave of relief swept over him as he scooped it up and slung it over his shoulder. Shane stood there completely soaked as the rain fell in rivers down his face, funneled off his nose and chin. He stared toward the farmhouse and considered his feelings just now. If this were anybody else besides Jas or Marnie, he wouldn’t have come after them in a raging thunderstorm to make sure they got home safe. Shane didn’t care about anybody else in this town, himself included, so why was he so concerned about this farmer? He had finally gotten her off his case and could drink in peace again.  _ Deep down, you know you don’t want that. You’ve been crushing on her since she moved here. _

Resuming his jog to Ashley’s house, he played with the possibility that he could be happy for once. He tried to picture the two of them living together on the farm, visiting Marnie and Jas often. The vision came to him so easily: They could have a bunch of chickens and Jas could come over anytime she wanted to. That wouldn’t be so bad. It actually sounded quite nice. Ashley could show him how to tend the gardens and they could spend their nights cuddled up on the couch in front of the fireplace. Shane pictured Ashley next to him on the couch, her perfume intoxicating him, and kissing her warm and soft her lips. When his lips started tingling at the thought of hers pressed into his, Shane shook his head.  _ Dreams. That’s all he will ever have.  _ He knew it would take a lot more than a simple life on a farm with a beautiful woman to fix him. As quick as a wink, Shane was back to his dark, brooding self again. No, he was better off alone and he had no intention of ruining the farmer’s life, too. The most he could hope for was friendship so Shane made up his mind to be a little nicer by the time he made it to the bottom of the farmer’s steps. 

With a deep sigh, Shane trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door. He saw Ashley come out of her bedroom wearing a dry t-shirt and sweatpants, towel drying her long, walnut locks. She walked over to the door and frowned with confusion when she opened it to find Shane dripping wet on her porch, remembering how he had treated her at the bar. 

“Shane? What are you doing here?” Ashley asked simply. “You really shouldn’t be out in this storm.” 

Shane tensed up and just stared at her, thinking,  _ neither should you. _ “I, uh, wanted to make sure you got home safely after you ran out,” he said instead. Then, sliding her backpack off his shoulder to set it down carefully on the porch next to the door, he added, “Here. I found your backpack on the way.” 

Ashley reached out and grabbed his arm before he could turn to go. His arm was soaking wet and felt ice cold. “Thank you for checking on me and bringing my bag back. When the lightning struck nearby, I dropped it, afraid the metal tools would draw it,” she grinned warmly.  _ For someone who isn’t interested in you, he sure went through out of his way to check on you... _

Shane looked at her hand on his arm, warm and dainty.  _ Not a farmer’s hands _ . He swallowed and said, “I really should get home,” then turned to leave. Shane wanted to be near her which is exactly why he needed to go. 

Ashley listened to the intensity of the storm, “Please, won’t you at least stand by the fire until the storm settles down a bit? You're freezing cold and it’s the least I can do. Plus, it wouldn’t be very neighborly of me to let you go out in this mess.” She let go of his arm, hoping he would be more amicable to staying if she did.

His shoulders were tired and Shane just wanted to go home but the promise of a warm fire and the possibility of walking home drier was tempting. “If the storm hasn’t settled in fifteen minutes, I’m heading home,” Shane conceded and took off his muddy shoes. 

Ashley waited until they were off before using her towel to wipe off his face. “I can do it,” he said gruffly. When Shane grabbed her hand, a chill went down his spine at her touch and he suddenly regretted his decision to stay. She furrowed her brows slightly but gave a curt nod, releasing the towel and stepping to the side so he could enter.  _ I shouldn’t be here...I can’t… _

“Would you like some hot chocolate or warm apple cider? I was about to make myself a cup,” Ashley offered as Shane reluctantly stepped through and immediately strode over to the fireplace. 

_ Hot apple cider sounds really nice _ , he thought. “Uh, sure. Some hot cider...please,” Shane responded, trying to play off the fact that it was his second favorite fall drink. He rubbed his hands together in front of the fire, getting as close to it as he could. 

The rain hit the metal roof in a soothing melody that was calming until lighting cracked outside, dangerously close to the farm. Ashley jumped with a ‘yelp’ and Shane heard a hissing sound come from the kitchen. Turning around to warm his back and so he could see better, Shane looked to the kitchen to find Ashley running cold water on her hand.

“You okay?” he asked as he made his way over to the kitchen. 

Her face was screwed up in annoyance and not in pain, “Yeah, just a little splash got on my hand. I’ll be alright.” 

Shane leaned closer to take a better look and saw that it was a little pink. He fought the urge to hold her hand, wanting to feel her touch again. Plus, something about Ashley getting hurt made him more tender and he wanted to protect her. “Hmm. I’ll pour the cups,” he offered, moving over to the stove to put distance between them. 

Ashley blushed at his concern and the offer to help, “Thanks.” 

When the cool water started feeling warm, she cut it off and watched Shane carefully fill the cups with the ladle. Ashley found his messy, wet violet hair coupled with his concentrated frown attractive and took a moment to admire him further. His eyes were framed with long lashes and the way he screwed his mouth up as he worked made her want to kiss those soft-looking lips so badly.

When Shane turned to hand Ashley a cup of hot cider, he noticed she was studying him intently and it was his turn to blush. Instead of waiting on her to take the cup, he placed it on the counter beside her. “Thanks for the fire and cider,” Shane said quickly and headed to the door before she could comprehend what was happening.

The storm rumbled outside, bringing Ashley back to reality and she went through the door after him. “Shane! The storm!” she called out at the rain but it was too black outside to see him. With a huff and a sad sigh, Ashley went back inside and shut the door behind her.  _ Totally my fault. I shouldn’t have been ogling him like that. He’ll probably never speak to me again… _

Returning to the kitchen, she saw the untouched cup of cider Shane had poured for himself and tears stung her eyes.  _ Why do I even try? Sure, Shane is incredibly good-looking: dark violet hair, deep green eyes and ruggedly handsome.  _ Also, she could tell he has an athletic build by the way he holds himself _.  _ All these things were attractive to her except for the grumpiness but there was an endearing quality to it, as if it were a show. Perhaps it was the sadness in his eyes that matched her own drawing her to him but that didn’t seem like all it was. _ He isn’t interested, he never will be.  _ Ashley shook her head and tried to focus on happy thoughts.  _ Warm apple cider, rain on the metal roof, nice toasty fire.  _ Making her way over to the couch, she flipped through her streaming service for a show. “Another lonely night,” she said aloud before taking a sip of her cider.  _ At least I have my cider and my show. _

Before she settled into her show,  _ just to be neighborly _ , she texted Marnie to make sure Shane had made it home okay, not thinking of the repercussions it would have: “Shane found my backpack tonight and dropped it off. Wanted to make sure he got home safely.”

\-----

Shane made his way through the storm, the raindrops on his face mixing with tears of anger, frustration and sadness. He was angry because he ran out on Ashley as soon as she showed genuine interest in him, frustrated because he was attracted to her, and sad because he wasn’t good enough for her.  _ You could start working out again and lay off on pizza and pepper poppers for a while. Maybe even quit drinking.  _ It was a novel thought but not so realistic. Every time he had tried to do better in the past, he always ended up failing.

By the time Shane made it to Marnie’s ranch the storm started to let up and so had his tears. He quietly slipped inside, took off his shoes and crept over to Jas’s room to find her sleeping soundly. This girl has had a hard life but she’s thriving here.  _ Plus she’s six, Shane. She’ll bounce back easily. _

Sighing, he snuck to the kitchen for some beers to take to his room.  _ I need this tonight. Maybe I’ll try to do better tomorrow, who knows. _ Once Shane’s bedroom door was closed, he popped the first and guzzled it, the cool and bitter fluid coating his mouth and throat. Shane knew it would take at least three before he could relax properly so he popped another and drank it down with an ‘ahh’ before popping his third.

_ Can you imagine the farmer bringing me beers and pepper poppers all the time?  _ Shane chuckled bitterly at that thought.  _ She deserves something so much better than life with a drunkard, fetching beers and cleaning up empty beer cans or bottles, putting up with his shit all the time.  _ Shane finished his third and reached for another.  _ But, then again, I haven’t met anyone in a long time...especially anyone who seemed remotely interested. _ Another pop and fizz, his beer tasted like flavored water now, going down so easily. 

_ You can try to be her friend. No attachments, just be nice. Try that for a while,  _ Shane reasoned with himself, unsure of why he was suddenly giving Ashley so much thought. The conflict inside him struggled so fiercely that it made his head spin...or was that the beer? He’d had four already and no food tonight to soak up the alcohol. 

_ Why am I tearing myself up over this girl?  _ He thought about that, seriously for a moment... _ For nearly six months, she’s been coming to the Saloon, every time she sees me she’s blushing and her face turns that cute shade of pink that makes her lips darker red. For nearly six months, she has been buying me pepper poppers every time Gus makes them and he’s been making them more often because of it.  _ And then there’s tonight. Ashley admitted she was interested in getting to know Shane better, seemed genuinely put out when he was rude to her but still invited him inside when he stupidly ran after her...in a thunderstorm…He remembered how it felt to have her hand on his arm, the look of sadness and longing in her eyes that was so damn much like the way he felt all the time, and how she was looking at him while he poured the cider.  _ You were so concerned when she burned herself...you know you liked the way she looked at you, too… _

_ … _

_ Fuck. I do like this girl. _


	2. Two Day Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing to explore the possibility of friendship is proving to be more difficult for Ashley and, to his surprise, Shane as well.

Shane awoke Saturday morning with a splitting headache and looked around his room at all the empty beer cans littering his floor. _What caused me to drink so much last night?_ He thought bitterly before remembering the farmer. Shane could still smell her perfume and remembered coming to the realization that he was attracted to her. _You’re a miserable, broken fuck that can’t do shit with your own life so don’t mess up the farmer’s chances. Be nice to her and maybe, just maybe, you might end up friends._

Shaking his head violently to get Ashley out of his head was a bad idea. Shane let out an angry groan of pain as a thousand hammers pounded his brain. _Water, you need water and pain pills._ He drug himself out of bed and opened the door. The bright light from the kitchen flooded him, making his head pound so badly he thought he would be sick. With closed eyes, he felt his way to the kitchen sink and turned on the water, stuck his face in the cool stream and drank straight from the faucet. 

Marnie came in with her arms crossed and cleared her throat, “Welcome back to the land of the living.” She looked at the clock on the wall that read half past noon. “Jas helped me with the chickens this morning while you were asleep but I need you to unload the hay bales into the barn after you get dressed,” she instructed with a firm tone but there was something else in her voice that caused Shane to look up. 

He studied her face, the small smirk at the corner of her mouth. What the hell was going on? “Thanks. I’ll get it done, Marnie,” Shane replied as he took the bottle of headache medicine and tossed back two pills. When Marnie didn’t move, he asked flatly, “Is there something else?”

Marnie let the smirk grow as she sat at the dining table in the chair nearest him. “So, you came from Ashley’s house last night. In the rain. Want to talk about that?” she asked and patted at the place in front of her, indicating he should sit.

Shane didn’t move but stared hard at her. _Did Ashley say something to Marnie?_ Anger flashed across his face as he thought about that for a moment. “What’s there to talk about?” he challenged. Nothing happened between them so why the fuck was he so anxious?

Marnie sighed as if she could read his mind, “Ashley texted me last night to make sure you made it home alright after returning her lost backpack. Honestly, Shane, that’s all I know but I was hoping you could fill me in on a little more.” 

The way Marnie left that open told Shane that she was hoping there _was_ more to it. He knew she was just trying to grasp at anything to help him have a normal life and Marnie liked Ashley. 

“That’s it. I returned her bag and left, nothing more,” Shane explained as he met Marnie’s gaze. She narrowed her eyes, knowing he was leaving something out but knew better than to push the matter.

“Okay. Suit yourself, Shane,” Marnie stood up and threw her hands up in defeat. She sighed deeply and walked over to him. Smiling warmly at her nephew, she put a hand on his shoulder, “Honey, I know you’ve had a hard life but you’re safe here. I just need you to know I’m here for you. As far as this new farmer goes, I’ve talked to her a few times. She’s going through a tough time, too, having just lost her parents before coming here. You two might be able to help each other if you let her be your friend. Just something to think about.” With that, Marnie turned to leave Shane with his headache and thoughts.

 _I’m a colossal ass-hat. That explains the sadness in her eyes but then, she wasn’t looking at me like someone who wants to be ‘just friends’._ Grabbing a box of pizza rolls and tossing it in the microwave, Shane then headed to his room to change. When he took off his shirt, the faint whiff of lavender hit his nostrils and his body tensed and he closed his eyes to see Ashley’s face studying him. Those dark brown eyes staring at him with longing, boring to his soul. Marnie may have been right about becoming friends but there was no way he could be around the farmer right now. He couldn’t even close his eyes without seeing her face. _Fuck._

Shane grabbed the trash can next to his bed and started furiously tossing empty cans into the bin. He was painfully aware of how soft he had gotten this past year by the way his gut had begun to spill over his jeans. _A steady diet of beer and pizza will do that to ya, especially if you quit working out, dumbass._ Shane finished picking up the cans and set the trash can down to stand in front of his mirror. The reflection was worse than he remembered; instead of a flat, muscled stomach sporting a six pack and large pecs there was a sad, old man with a soft, round body. His hair had grown out too much, his five o’clock shadow was nearly a full-grown beard and he had dark circles under sagging eyes. Shane sucked in his stomach and smiled, standing up straight to see if there was a difference or something that would have caught the farmer’s attention but he just wasn’t seeing it. _Maybe I could...No. No fucking way, Shane. It’s better for both of us. She can do better than you and a relationship is too much work for a dumpster fire like you._

The microwave dinged and Shane quickly pulled on a clean shirt and changed his shorts. Grabbing his soggy pizza rolls, he sat at the dining table and dug in. At least these made him happy...for a short while anyway. Afterwards, Shane quickly washed his plate, downed another glass of water and headed out to the barn. It took him most of the day to unload the hay from Marnie’s trailer into the barn but Shane felt better not having to think and his muscles burned in a good way. Maybe he should start working out again, strictly for himself. It seemed to be a good way to keep his mind busy and feel better about himself. 

_Yeah, working out would be a good way to make me feel better after working at Joja Mart._ That place is toxic and really didn’t help with Shane’s depression but he needed a job to help Marnie out. The least he could do to repay her kindness in taking them in when no one else would was to pay for Jas and his staying there. Since there wasn’t anywhere else to work, Joja Mart was the only option.

After dinner, Shane walked Jas out to the cherry tree to play, watching her jump rope and giggle every time she lost count. He smiled at his god-daughter and silently thanked Yoba, the universe or whoever that Jas could grow up happy in a stable home after the mess he’d pulled her from. It was not a happy situation so Shane pushed those thoughts from his mind, having salvaged the day for once. 

The sun was beginning to set so Shane walked over and playfully tugged on Jas’s hairbow. “Alright, kiddo. Time to go back inside for bath and bed,” he said as she pouted up at him with her big puppy dog eyes.

“But, Uncle Shane! I just want to get to five times!” Jas whined in her cutest little voice. “Please? One more minute?” she pleaded, sticking her bottom lip out and making her eyes go as big as she could. She knew her Uncle Shane would let her have the one more minute if she begged, he always did.

Shane groaned comically and sighed, “Alright, Jazzy Bear. One more minute but no dilly-dallying when we get inside. Deal?” He held his hand out for her to shake on it.

Jas took his hand and shook it, giggling, “Deal!” She picked up her jump rope and began counting her jumps, making it to five like she wanted. Her Uncle Shane gave her a high five and carried her on his shoulders as she drug the jump rope behind them. He loved his god-daughter like she was his own, having spent most of her life with him anyways. When they got inside, Shane put her down and tickled her tummy before she ran off laughing crazily to the bathroom. He watched her go and smiled to himself. Marnie kept reminding him that this was a safe place. For Jas, perhaps, but he still wasn’t convinced it was safe for him. Too small of a city, too few people and they liked to gossip.

“Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you washed up,” Shane heard Marnie say from the bathroom. That was his cue to head out. It was Saturday evening and he usually went to the pub but Ashley also knew that. He didn’t want to see her tonight so he grabbed a six-pack from the fridge and walked back to the hallway.

“I’m going outside for a few minutes. Call me when it’s time to tuck in Jas,” Shane called down the hall to Marnie who replied, ‘Alright’, and out the door he went. 

It would take Jas at least half an hour to finish up so Shane hurried over to the dock where he would still be within earshot of the house but secluded enough to be alone. Once his feet hit the wooden planks, Shane slowed down and made his way to the end. He plopped down, setting the beer to his right, and slipped out of his sandals to dangle his tired feet in the cool water. Shane popped the top and let the cool, sharp liquid coat his throat. “Ahhh,” he said to himself. Content in his solitude, Shane sipped his beer quietly while wiggling his toes. He watched the little fish swimming around take interest and they started nipping at his feet curiously. To Shane’s surprise, he let out a giggle because it tickled and immediately put his hand over his mouth to stifle anymore laughter. Unable to take it anymore, he pulled his feet out of the water and brought his knees up to sit cross-legged. 

Popping another beer open, Shane took a loud swig and looked out over the water. As much as he hated his life, this forest was peaceful and beautiful. He found himself coming here more often of late, especially when he was having a good day. It was like a ground for Shane, a tether to keep him from drifting off into oblivion. One would think that Jas was his tether but she was still connected to bad memories. This place, though, held nothing bad for him. It was pure, innocent and didn’t judge him for his faults. This was the only place he could find inner peace, if that was even a thing. 

Two beers in, Shane saw a light shining at the ranch, illuminating the night. He stood up and collected his trash just before he heard Marnie call out his name. Slipping his sandals back on Shane retreated into the house to tuck his god-daughter in. Jas picked out her favorite book for him to read and afterwards gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Goodnight, Jazzy Bear,” he whispered before quietly closing the door halfway. 

Shane went to grab a quick shower and played video games for a few hours before calling it a night. As he lay in bed thinking about the day, his thoughts wandered back to this morning, when he looked in the mirror. It wouldn’t take very long to get back into shape. He could fit it in his schedule, get back the muscle mass he had lost because it felt damn good to flex his biceps after tossing bales of hay all afternoon. _I can do this. It won’t take me long and girls are generally more attracted to muscular guys, aren’t they? Fuck, I’m doing it again. Face it, chump, you like her. You don’t want to be just friends. I haven’t felt this way about a girl in, well...ever._ Shane's thoughts spun around as he closed his eyes and saw the farmer’s face again. He groaned and rolled onto his side, hugging his other pillow tight. “Why won’t you stay out of my head, Ashley?” Shane whispered as he fell asleep. 

\-----

_Never have I ever chopped so much wood_ , Ashley thought as she marveled at all the wood that she had chopped, counted, and stacked neatly by the house. After her encounter with Shane last night, she wasn’t expecting to see him again and had already started planning her days to keep out of his way. It was clear to Ashley that she would never be anything to Shane and she needed time away from him to quell the hurting of her heart. Every fiber of her being knew this was wrong and wanted to march down to the ranch to demand Shane at least be her friend because, for some unknown reason that had puzzled her since she moved here, she needed him. _Could it have anything to do with you being disowned by your own family, being completely alone and just needing attention? I’ll never know now..._ Sure, there were other single guys in town but she wanted the one she couldn’t have.

The sun was beginning to set so Ashley put up her ax and took a stroll around the farm before heading inside for the night. After a long, hot shower Ashley rummaged through the cabinets, settling on a can of chicken noodle soup and saltine crackers for dinner. _I could really go for one of Gus’s pepperoni pizzas right now,_ she thought but knew Shane would most likely be at the Saloon. _He was there every Saturday..._

Instead of going out for pizza, she was curled up on the couch with the bowl of soup in her lap. Ashley crumbled a few crackers into it and stirred. It was just like the way mom made it when she was young so she preferred it this way now. Putting on her show to keep her mind busy while she ate, intent on forgetting Shane, turned out to be a futile attempt. _What happened in his past that keeps him from letting anyone get close to him?_ Six months was a ridiculously long time for Ashley to keep vying for the attention of a guy she liked, especially since he didn’t seem interested. _Maybe he prefers guys?_ She sighed again, _or maybe you’re not as charming as you thought you were._ With that last thought, she finished her cold soup before going to bed. 

As Ashley lay there staring at the ceiling, she planned tomorrow out. Breakfast, chickens, garden...greenhouse. The old greenhouse was in poor shape but most of the plastic panels were intact. All it really needed was a new wooden frame and she had a shitload of wood to build it back with. It will come in handy this winter if I can get it working again. Demetrius had told her one day that crops don’t grow in the winter here. _They would if you have a greenhouse!_ she thought, determined to do anything to keep her mind off of a certain person with soft violet locks and deep green eyes…

\---

The next morning Ashley got up and ate her scrambled eggs and toast, drinking a large glass of orange juice to get her through the busy morning. Her chickens were clucking happily when she opened the door, “Good morning, Chaplin. Good morning, Callie! How are my lovelies doing today?” She smiled as she collected eggs before cleaning the coop while they went outside to peck at the ground.

The pumpkin seeds she planted last week had begun sprouting so Ashley carefully weeded around them before watering the patch. In a few days they would need to be thinned out but she was hoping to have at least fifty good-sized pumpkins for her first Spirit’s Eve here in Pelican Town. Fall had always been her favorite season and, when she moved here, was excited to hear about all the festivals the town held but Spirit’s Eve was the one she was most looking forward to.

The other side of her gardens had tall, green stalks of corn in beautiful rows growing next to little baby eggplant sprouts and cranberry bushes. Lastly, there was a patch of yams and one row of Fairy Rose flowers. She’d never heard these particular flowers before and later found out that they are indigenous to this area. Ashley was eager to see what else the Valley had to offer.

Lastly, after a quick protein bar and water break, Ashley started dismantling the greenhouse. She started by carefully pulling off the busted panels and piling them neatly to one side. She studied the construction and the curvature of the wood as she pulled the pieces away, jotting notes and dimensions down on a piece of paper. The bones of it were good but there were several more panels that needed replacing than the ones left intact. She looked up the cost for panels and nearly choked. _Maybe Robin can give me a better quote._

Her muscles were aching from chopping trees yesterday and pulling at heavy panels at weird angles so she decided to call it a day. _After two days of hard work, I really need a pizza!_ she thought, looking at the time. _It’s only four, Shane won’t be there_...Just thinking his name pulled at her heartstrings but she pulled up Gus’s number anyway and ordered a large pepperoni for pick-up.

“It’ll be ready in fifteen, Miss Ashley!” Gus’s friendly voice boomed over the phone.

Ashley smiled, imaging Gus’s happy smile on the other line. He had to be the nicest guy in town and she was very fond of him. “Thanks! See you then!” she chimed and headed out the door before realizing she hadn’t even washed up. _It’s not like you have to make yourself pretty for anyone,_ she reminded herself and let it go.

In an effort to keep her mood up, Ashley softly hummed to herself as she walked along the dirt road toward town. She listened to the birds, watching them flitter and chase each other through the late afternoon sky. It made her sad that even the birds had someone so she focused on the fact that there was a whole town of people here she had become friends with, well, for the most part. There were a few that really got on her nerves, take, for instance Haley. That girl really rubbed her the wrong way, reminding Ashley of the girls in high school she and Jarrod used to make fun of for being total dolts. Those girls were always mean, not just to them but to everybody, and always got away with it because of who their parents were.

She giggled at the thought but was quickly brought back down by the thought of Jarrod. She missed him so much and wished more than anything he could be here now to give her words of encouragement or cheer her up like he always did. Ashley’s eyes started to flood and she sniffed back the snot that threatened to drip. _What would Jarrod say about the mess she’s gotten into over Shane? Maybe Something like, ‘Girl, if he can’t appreciate you for your personality OR your good looks, he ain’t worth it.’_ Ugh, _you’ve never been good at doing Jarrod impressions._ That thought made her smile but she still felt like crying and now was wondering why she even left the city. Oh, yeah, because after her parents died she had nothing else and because her therapist thought it would be a good idea.

The aged, wooden sign displaying ‘Welcome to Pelican Town’ loomed in the distance and Ashley scrambled to find a clean patch on her shirt. Deciding to turn the hem toward the inside, she took the side of her shirt to wipe her face and nose. Ashley couldn’t show up at the Saloon crying or Gus would spend the next hour trying to make her feel better and then Shane would show up. She just wanted to get her pizza and eat it at home without broadcasting her screwed up life to everyone. This was a new beginning and she needed one.

As Ashley approached, she could hear the muffled sound of music and knew that Pam was already there. She smiled to herself and opened the door to see Shane in his usual corner but an hour early. _No, Ashley, you forgot that it’s Sunday and he’s off work on the weekends._ Hoping that he hadn’t noticed her yet, she hurried casually over to the cash register to where her pizza box waited. Ashley dug through her pocket and grabbed a wad of cash to leave on the counter and jet out of there when Gus came back around and called out her name.

“Hey, Miss Ashley! I see you found your pizza, fresh out of the oven only a minute ago,” the mustache man was smiling hugely and didn’t seem to take note of her frazzled demeanor or soiled clothes.

She super-focused her attention on Gus, wanting to shrink away rather than have Shane see her so messy. “Yep, I’ll just leave this here and get home. Thanks, Gus! See you next time!” Ashley said really fast before speed-walking out the door and rushing home. 

She didn’t bother with the tears and snot this time, just let them flow freely. _Two days, Ashley! You haven’t seen him in two days and just the tiniest of glances tears you down._ She’s going to need a few weeks after that fiasco. Maybe she could pay extra for delivery service? _What was the name of that really energetic guy with the spiky blonde hair? Sam? Yes!_ He seemed like a sweet guy who would be willing to help a gal out. 

The farmhouse came into view so Ashley started jogging faster now that the tightening in her chest had loosened. As soon as she was inside, she washed her hands, grabbed a napkin and a slice of pizza. The heavenly aroma of melted cheese and spicy pepperoni assaulted her taste buds, causing her to salivate heavily. She had to swallow before taking a bite. _Mmmmmm_ . Closing the box lid to keep the heat, she ate the rest of her slice before grabbing a quick shower. _I feel really dirty and I want to enjoy my pizza without worrying._

Shane had seen her, she was sure of it. If he hadn’t seen her he definitely _smelled_ her. That thought absolutely mortified her. _Smelling of dirt, chicken shit and sweat then going to town on a Sunday?_ What was she thinking? Oh, yeah...pizza.

\-----

His Saturday had gone well after getting over the massive headache and Sunday was turning out pretty good, too. After taking the day to think through his attraction to Ashley and the shitty life he was putting himself through, Shane decided to at least be friends with her. _She won’t stay out of my head and, if I’m being honest, I don’t want her to._ The best thing he could do was spend time with her. _Then she’ll realize I’m a total jerk and keep me at arm’s length as a friend. Then, I won’t have to work at a relationship that I, more than likely, will fuck up but I can still hang with her._

That settled, Shane decided to grab a beer at the Saloon. The sun was nearly at the horizon and the waning sunlight cast a golden glow on the leaves of the trees, which hadn’t started to change color yet. He walked along and opened the door to the Saloon, ignored for the most part...as usual… He saw Gus talking on the phone and heard him say the name ‘Miss Ashley’ before hanging up. Shane’s stomach jumped as he made his way to his spot next to the fireplace and ordered a beer. 

While Shane waited, he kept his eyes on the floor so he could glance up inconspicuously when the farmer came in. Emily brought over his mug and left it without saying anything, silently thanking Yoba for the peace so he wouldn’t be distracted. Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Shane picked up his beer to sip it, lifting his eyes to see Ashley enter, lost in thought with a small smile. She was covered in dirt, sweat, and possibly hay. Her tired brown eyes were rimmed in pink. _She’s been crying_ , he thought and his chest hurt. 

He watched her smile disappear quickly when she noticed him watching her and the tightness in his chest twisted. Ashley’s pace quickened and he noticed her hand dropping cash on the bar but Gus stopped her to talk. Shane knew the look of wanting to be left alone all too well and that’s exactly what she looked like, she was just too nice to say otherwise. With the way she hurried out the door, Shane decided not to say anything. He let her go this time and finished his beer before settling his tab with Gus and going home. 

On the way home, he walked past the ranch and toward Ashley’s farmhouse. _I’ll just check a little ways from the house to make sure she’s home alright and then I’ll get back._ Shane made his way up the path until the farmhouse came into view. He couldn’t see well enough so he moved close enough to see her sitting on her couch watching television and eating pizza. She was clearly lonely by how slowly she seemed to be moving and how she stared blankly at the screen. Just the sight of her made his chest tight again and he fought the urge to go up and knock on her door. _What would I say? It’s getting late and friends don’t stop by unannounced just before the sun goes down, do they?_

“Fuck,” Shane said under his breath. He took one last, long look at the farmer before heading back to the ranch, repeating... _We can only be friends…_

Once back at the ranch, Shane tucked Jas in and went back outside with a bag of beers. He made his way to the end of the dock and plopped down, intent on forgetting… everything… It was no use, though. Shane couldn’t get the sight of Ashley covered in dirt and hay out of his head. Her pink-rimmed eyes bothered him more than he realized. She was on the farm, alone. At least he had Marnie and Jas. If only he could stand being near her for more than a few minutes without losing his mind with want. 

Shane swallowed down the first beer quickly and popped the top on the next one. He stared out over his happy place and realized his thoughts about Ashley were tainting this place as well… _Well, shit. There’s no peace in this world for a pathetic excuse of a meat bag like me…_ The next two beers slid down easily so Shane laid back on the wooden dock to stare up at the stars. They twinkled a moment before blurring into a mess, telling Shane it was time to go to bed. He had to go to work in the morning… at Joja Mart… _I fucking hate my life..._


	3. Heart 2 Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get heavy when Ashley shares a drink with Shane after two years of sobriety.

Ashley had busied herself on the farm for a few days after she saw Shane at the pub covered in filth to forget about ever finding love in this back-water hole she’s stuck in without her best friend or parents to help her keep her sanity. Furthermore, even though she really wanted a drink, she resisted. It was important to maintain control of one of the few things she _was_ still in control of. For days, Ashley sorted through her feelings, cried, sorted some more, got really angry and then cried some more, finally coming to the realization... _love simply does not exist._

“Basically, it’s like this: Fate brings a girl to this middle of nowhere place - okay, it was grandpa’s dying wish to bequeath his farm to her, but, still. Girl meets a gorgeous boy that ends up being an asshole with as many if not more hang ups than she has but she still has this insatiable need to get to know him better. Girl tries to woo said boy with no luck and decides to give up. Boy follows the girl home in a torrential thunderstorm just to ‘make sure you made it home alright, but I really don’t care and, oh, yeah, I brought your backpack you dropped. Ummkay, bye’. This whole thing is ridiculously fucked up and I don’t have anyone else to talk to but you, little kitty,” she said while holding the malnourished little ball of fur that showed up on her doorstep this morning. 

The poor baby was mewing at the foot of her steps when she was heading in the house with the egg basket. It wasn’t afraid of her at all but acted like she was her savior, rubbing up against her leg and purring loudly. Little did this little cat know, Ashley needed a friend as much as she did so she scooped it up and fed her a bit of the leftover chicken noodle soup.

Ashley continued her conversation with her new companion, “I know you weren’t looking for an earful this morning, just something warm in your tummy and a good petting but you need to know what kind of mess you’re going to be staying with. As far as this girl and the boy that would never be hers, it’s difficult to get over someone you never got to be with. I felt like we were supposed to be together...” 

This shit was much too complicated for a quiet life on the farm so Ashley decided to stop fighting it and just try to be normal around Shane. If they at least end up being friends, that was enough. Speaking of friends, Ashley held the little sweetness up and finally decided on a name, “You are Buttons, because that’s how cute you are! Cute as a button. Not very original, I know, but I’m doing the best I can, here.” 

It was late Wednesday afternoon when Ashley finished up. She decided to take Buttons on a tour of the town for a few groceries and some cat food. Placing the kitten inside her unzipped purse, they were off. It wasn’t until she went to open the locked door to the general store that Ashley realized Pierre’s was closed. _Dammit._ She stood there staring dumbly at the square before deciding to head over to Willy’s Shack on the beach. The farmer hadn’t had much luck fishing so far with the old bamboo pole Willy had given her early spring and some practice was in order but she had left her pole at home. Nonetheless, Willy may have something for this poor little kitten to nosh on and she would just have to eat the rest of the leftover soup and pizza.

Ashley took her shoes off and the duo made their way across the beach, collecting seashells along the way to sell. The sand was warm on her toes so she let Buttons run beside her. The kitten scampered awkwardly across the unfamiliar terrain but kept up with Ashley best she could. _She’s a fighter like me,_ she thought happily before scooping the kitten up, dusting off her paws and returning her to the purse. Once on the docks, Ashley hurried to Willy’s before he closed for the day. When she rounded the corner, though, he was already out with a line in the ocean. 

He looked up at Ashley and grinned, “Well, hello there, lass! Come to learn how to fish yet?” He chuckled and looked back to his line when he noticed she was without a pole.

“Actually, I was hoping you had some little fish I could buy,” Ashley said before holding her purse up for Willy to see the kitten’s head poking out. “You see, this little cutie found her way on my farm this morning and Pierre’s is closed. So, I guess you could say, we’re kind of in a pickle. Can you help me out?” She gave Willy her most pitiful little pout, knowing full well that he was a big softie and it did the trick. 

Willy chuckled and winked at her, “Well, I always did have a soft spot for kittens. Let me fetch a small bucket of fresh chum for the little one. No charge as long as you keep her healthy.” 

“You are the best, Willy. I really appreciate this,” Ashley gushed as she took the paper bag with the little plastic container full of smelly fish parts. 

Willy tipped his captain’s hat at them and returned to his pole. 

The sun had begun to set by the time they had made it back to town. Ashley pulled out her phone to check the time. _It’s nearly nine. We need to get home._ She slipped her phone back in her pocket, adjusted her purse and headed home, taking the path past Marnie’s ranch.

The forest was quiet except for the usual crickets, tree frogs and the occasional swooping bat. As Ashley passed Leah’s house on the river, she looked out over the forest and caught sight of legs dangling off the pier. _Shane_ , she thought as her stomach flipped. Ashley’s arms broke out in goosebumps and she wondered if she even dared bother him. _I’ll run into him sooner or later so you may as well get it over with._ Making up her mind, the farmer headed toward the pond and stopped at the dock. 

Shane was quietly sipping on beer and dangled his bare feet in the water. It was so pure that Ashley almost turned to leave and she would have had he not noticed her when he turned for another beer. She saw Shane stop and turn slowly to face her.

“Up late huh?” he asked plainly, motioning to her. It was difficult for her to read him in the dark but the farmer headed to the end of the dock and sat on the other side of it with Buttons and her dinner between them. Without looking at Ashley, Shane handed her a beer, “Here, have a cold one.”

She took it and hesitated a moment before popping the top. The bitter smell of the beer hit her nostrils and her mouth began to salivate. It had been nearly two years since Ashley had a drink and she had wanted one bad for the past few days... _One won’t hurt and I’ve been able to keep control,_ she thought as she took a long sip.

“Buh...life,” Shane said quietly as he finished his beer and reached for another. The can let out a pop and fizz sound before he slurped the top, “You ever feel like...no matter what you do, you’re gonna fail?...Like you’re stuck in some miserable abyss and you’re so deep you can’t even see the light of day?” 

Shane took another sip and stared out at the pond, his shoulders slumped slightly. “I just feel like no matter how hard I try...I’m not strong enough to climb out of that hole,” he continued. Little did he know that Ashley had felt exactly like that two years ago before she got help...and then, on top of that, her parents died. 

“Life can be a real bitch,” Ashley replied before turning up her beer and finishing it in one go. She crushed the can and laid it on the dock next to her, focusing her gaze on Shane’s feet so she wouldn’t share more. 

He just looked at her with a surprised look, “Heh...fast drinker, huh? Woman after my own heart.” Shane was smiling when he said that but realized who he was speaking to and quickly added, “Just don’t make it a habit...you got a future ahead of you still.” _Fuck! Why can’t I talk normally around this girl?_

Before she could stop her mouth, Ashley blurted out, “I don’t like my future. I’m stuck in this shit-hole of a town with no friends or family to speak of. It’s hardly what I would call a ‘future’.” She felt a tear roll down her cheek, unable to stop what was coming and sniffled, “I’m alone. Well, except for little Buttons, here.” 

Shane was taken aback at her candid statement and how she was explaining exactly how he felt. He had wanted to try and make friends with her but this was too close to home and made him want to run away so he did. “Welp...my liver’s begging me to stop. Better call it a night.” He started to stand up but, even in the dark, he could see that leaving her in this state wouldn’t end well for her...or little Buttons. Instead, he shifted the beer away from himself and closer to her. _Ashley needs this more than I do._

“Penny for your thoughts,” Shane asked with a grim grin.

Ashley wiped her nose on the inside hem of her shirt, “It’s just that, I moved here after my parents died, for a fresh start. My therapist even said it was a good idea but I’m wondering if I shouldn’t have left the city at all now.”

Shane took a deep breath and leaned back, blowing it out slowly. This was a lot to unpackage all at once but the four beers he’d drank had settled his nerves enough. “Okay, that’s a lot. Start at the beginning. Why were you in therapy?” he asked, looking to glean more information about the girl he finally admitted to have been crushing on. _I’m helping a friend,_ he reminded himself.

Ashley sat cross-legged, picked Buttons up and put her in her lap, scratching under the kitten’s neck. “The beginning...Are you sure you’re ready?” she frowned up at Shane to make sure he understood this was going to get really heavy.

Shane nodded his head slowly, “Shoot.”

“In high school, I met my best friend. We did everything together because we were both outcasts, not really fitting into the other cliques in school. We used to sneak a smoke under the bleachers and sit back of the bus. So, anyway, fast forward to our first year of college. I minored in business and he was going to major in psychology,” Ashley started but was interrupted suddenly.

“He? Your best friend is a guy,” Shane didn’t really ask but was making a statement, but the slight jealousy in his voice was apparent.

Ashley just looked at him. “Jarrod was gay,” she said plainly, “Which brings me around to college. First year. We went to a lot of parties, drank a looooot of beer and, then, at one of these parties, he met someone. Jarrod fell so hard for this guy and they dated for nearly a year. We used to spend so much time together, nearly inseparable until they got together. When I didn’t see Jarrod as much, I started drinking more and using recreational drugs until my family intervened. My parents, Yoba rest their souls, tried reasoning with me at first but I was having too much fun… or so I thought. I was miserable without my best friend to hang out with.”

Shane nodded his head solemnly as he listened to her story. He didn’t interrupt anymore because he wanted her to finish. He needed to hear the beginnings of the beautiful and kind woman he’d gotten to know the past six months and how she could refer to their home as a shit-hole. 

Making sure Shane was still listening, Ashley continued, “Second year of college came around and my parents had talked me into seeing a therapist. With Jarrod spending so much time with his boyfriend, I realized I needed someone to talk to so I had been seeing Dr. Langley for three months. By that time, my family had already estranged themselves from the alcoholic mess with a gay best friend and my parents who refused to give up on me. Even my little sister moved in with our closest uncle. After the start of the second term, Jarrod started distancing himself from me even more. His boyfriend, in a fit of rage, accused Jarrod of cheating, broke up with him and blamed their relationship troubles on me. To say Jarrod was heartbroken would be an understatement. He went to a party on his own, with no one that we usually hung out with, and went on a drinking binge. He died a week later in the hospital and I...totally lost it.” 

Between Ashley’s story and the way the moonlight caught the tears steadily flowing down her cheeks, Shane was transfixed. He wanted to reach out to console her but he didn’t know the words. No one ever had ever consoled him so he didn’t know how and he hated himself for that.

“I just quit...everything...after Jarrod died. I didn’t see my therapist, I started drinking again and I stopped calling my parents. For three weeks they searched for me, going house to house and calling everyone in our circles they could find a number for. I honestly can’t remember what happened those weeks. It’s all a blank but, when my parents finally found me, they brought me home and helped me get clean. For two years I’ve been sober. For two years, I hated alcohol for taking my best friend away from me and destroying my family,” Ashley had quit crying now and her face hardened.

Shane felt like shit because he had given her a beer, helping her break the sobriety she had fought for. _You didn’t fucking know. How could you have known?_

Ashley finished quietly, “At least my parents died doing something they enjoyed. They went skiing in the Alps but, on their flight home, there was a freak lightning storm that caused their plane to go down.   
And that brings us all the way around to the present.” Buttons had fallen asleep on her lap as Ashley gently stroked her back. Surprisingly, she wasn’t embarrassed at sharing her story with Shane but felt much better.

“Wow,” Shane said quietly, rubbing his eyes with his hand. Heavy shit, indeed. “I’m no therapist but do you at least feel better telling me all of...this?” he asked, waving his hands in a circle. 

Ashley looked up at him with tired, sleepy eyes and smiled weakly. “Yeah, actually, I do. Now that I’m not so mysterious, maybe you can share next time and we can try that friendship thing. No pressure, but I really do need someone that understands these things. Marnie is sweet and I like Robyn, Emily and Gus alright but I get the feeling they wouldn’t understand what I’ve been through.”

Shane nodded his head in agreement before he realized Ashley was looking at him for an answer, “Good. I’m glad you feel better and I do understand. We’ll need a longer night than tonight to unpackage my shit but I’m here if you need to talk.” He nodded and looked away when her smile warmed slightly to hide his blushing cheeks. _I can’t believe that this is happening. It took my own therapist a month to get me to agree to opening up._

“Oh, I know I called this place a shit-hole town but that’s not fair. I really enjoy working in the dirt and doing something worthwhile. It’s actually a pretty nice and peaceful place,” Ashley added for clarification.

He snorted, “No, you’re right about both. It IS a shit-hole town but there’s good here, too, you just have to be open to it.” Shane looked at Ashley out the corner of his eyes. _I’m talking about you, Ashley._

She gave a light laugh, scooped her kitten up in her arms and stood up. Buttons yawned and stretched before snuggling up on her chest and falling back to sleep. 

Shane followed suit, handing her the paper sack she came with and stood there a moment before he cleared his throat. “See you around, Ashley,” he said quietly before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking back to the ranch.

“See you around, Shane,” Ashley replied quietly, watching him go.

\-----

Shane awoke the next morning feeling groggy as he got ready for work. He hadn’t had as much to drink, partly due to the fact that his evening revelry was interrupted by the farmer. _Ashley…_ He remembered listening to her life-story and how much pain she had been through. He felt connected to her, at least on that level, and thought that if she could come out of it, he had a chance. _But she had parents to help her through it._ He couldn’t rely on Marnie and he certainly couldn’t rely on Ashley. She didn’t owe him anything and he wasn’t hers to fix. _But you agreed to tell her your story some time. You had better deliver or you’ll lose more than just her friendship._

Pulling his blue hoodie up over his work uniform, Shane finished his morning routine and headed out without grabbing breakfast or he’d be late. The morning dew soaked the toes of his sneakers and he hurried along the dirt path into town. Shane had his hands in his pockets and his head down like always, mostly to keep people from stopping him to talk. So far it had been very effective but, this morning as he approached the square, he ran into Ashley. She was huffing heavily, her backpack full of rocks, and seemed to be startled out of serious thought.

“Sorry, Shane! I didn’t mean to run into you like that. Are you okay?” Ashley asked quickly, her face flush with embarrassment. She held onto Shane’s arms like she had almost knocked him over but the way she looked into his eyes told him something had changed since their talk last night. Ashley was able to hold his gaze without fumbling or blushing. There was no shyness but the deep sadness was still there. _So was the longing..._

Shane didn’t want to be rude but he really needed to go. “I’m alright but I’m late for work so, uh, see you later,” he replied before sprinting across the bridge. Shane wanted to feel good about their budding friendship but there was a wrench in his gut at the thought of never being with her in a romantic way. In fact, the thought suddenly terrified him in a way that darkened his gloomy mood further. _Just clock in and get your work done. It’s just another day like any other._

The work day was not a pleasant one and Shane found his own rain clouds darkening like the storm outside that had moved in. When he got off work, the rain was coming down steadily, dampening his spirits further so Shane stepped into the Saloon and slipped off into his usual corner. Every time the door opened, he would sneak a peek to see if it was the farmer but she never came in. After the sixth beer, Shane decided to head home and almost made it to the door when it opened and the familiar scent of lavender and vanilla struck him like a whiplash. Ashley almost bumped into him for the second time today but, this time she had a look of fear on her face that was immediately replaced by determination at the sight of his drunkenness. 

“Hey, easy there, Shane. Let me walk home with you. We need to talk,” the farmer said as she put his arm around her shoulders and helped him down the step. He wasn’t as heavy as she expected so they easily made their way across the threshold. 

If the farmer hadn’t surprised Shane like that, he would never have let her help him so as soon as they were out the door, he shrugged her off. She wasn’t expecting it and fell on her hip in the mud with an ‘oof’. The whole right side of her jeans and her hands were covered in mud. The farmer sat there a moment before pushing herself to standing and slung the mud off her hands. Shane stood there frozen and frowning, near to tears at knocking Ashley down but she continued the job she had set out to do. 

“Shane, I know you don’t want my help but I’m here for you. You don’t have to do this alone. I’m walking home with you whether you like it or not,” the farmer said so sternly that Shane simply shook his head and started toward the ranch. After a few steps, he stopped to make sure Ashley was following so she hurried to walk beside him.

They walked all the way to the ranch before Shane stopped short of the door and finally broke the silence, “You said we needed to talk, so, shoot.” He looked at Ashley with his intense green eyes and she returned it. 

“We do need to talk but I need you to have a clear head, Shane. It’s important,” the farmer replied. Her eyes searching for understanding in his glossy eyes. _He’s too far gone tonight..._

Ashley’s brown eyes were almost black in the failing light and her pale skin looked ghostly, wet from the rain. But her lips, Shane noticed, were starkly red in contrast to the rest of her. He longed to kiss those plump, soft, wet lips and wanted to feel Ashley’s body pressed against his like in his dreams. “I’m as clear-headed as I can be, farmer. Don’t get much better than this,” he said, starting toward her with his arms outstretched and leaned forward to kiss her. The alcohol in Shane’s system had taken the part that fights his urges out of him. It was so much easier this way.

Ashley put her hands on Shane’s chest and locked her arms in to keep him back, “I’m not going to argue because you’re drunk, Shane. We’re just friends until we can be something more, do you understand? Act your way into right thinking and we will take it one day at a time.” She didn’t falter, didn’t back down but stood her ground, despite the fact that Shane had deflated completely. Ashley reminded herself that she still didn’t know his story but it scared her to know he let himself get this drunk after last night’s talk. 

His shoulders slumped and she heard him sobbing softly. “You’re right, farmer. I understand. Just friends,” Shane repeated as he fumbled for the door but his motor functions were impaired and tears had blinded him.

Ashley gently stepped up to help him open it and helped him through, quietly closing the door behind them. Shane directed her to his room where she helped him out of his shoes and hoodie. He crawled into the bed and when Ashley pulled the covers up over him, he gently grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. She went down on her knees beside Shane’s bed, their faces inches apart.

He studied her eyes for a moment before brushing her cheek with the fingers of his other hand. “You’re so pretty,” he whispered softly, “Thank you.” 

The walls Shane had put up around himself were down for a fraction of a moment and Ashley smiled warmly. “Any time, Shane,” she whispered back. Ashley then stood up with Shane still holding her hand. “Time for sleep now but I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said before leaning down to kiss his forehead. When Ashley stood back up, Shane’s eyes were closed and he had let go of her hand. 

She stood there a moment, watching him sleep peacefully and felt a new twinge in her heart. Sighing deeply, the farmer quietly left Shane’s room, easing the door shut behind him and rested her head on the wood. _Be strong, girl, for Shane and yourself._

When Ashley turned around, Marnie was sitting at the kitchen table with two cups of coffee, “Good evening, Ashley. Please, come sit. I think we need to talk.”


	4. Cliffs of Insobriety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley is terrified by nearly losing Shane (6-heart event almost verbatim) and realizes Marnie's words have truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Excessive alcohol use and Suicide attempt

Ashley tensed up at the sight of Marnie catching her sneak around her house at night...leaving her nephew’s bedroom no less. “Marnie, it’s not what you think. I…”

Marnie cut her off and waved a dismissive hand, “It’s alright, Chickadee. I heard and saw enough. Now, please come and sit down.”

Ashley moved the short distance to sit in the chair opposite Marnie. She didn’t know her too well but Marnie had been real kind to her since she moved here. “We’re just friends,” Ashley started but Marnie raised a hand.

“I know, dear. But, you have to understand, Ashley, that he won’t remember anything you said tonight when he wakes up in the morning. This is the way he has been for a long time now, even before he came here. It’s part of his condition, all this,” the woman explained. She took a deep breath and continued, “See, Shane latches onto things, to people. He makes them important for the wrong reasons and I don’t want you to end up hurt because of it.” She gave the farmer a weak smile. 

Ashley frowned in thought, “So, you don’t want me to be friends with Shane?” Saying the words aloud put her in a panic and she swallowed the lump in her throat.  _ I can’t do that... _

Marnie chuckled, “Of course I do! You’d be a good friend for him to have, I just don’t want you to expect more. He has created this horrible vision of himself and is so completely invested in this image...so much so that it will never change. It’s difficult loving someone that doesn’t see themselves the way the rest of the world does.” Her voice trailed a moment as if she were seeing ghosts of her past or present before she took a sip of her coffee and continued, “Anyways, Chickadee, the reason I’m telling you this is because I see the way you look at him. You actually SEE him and want to be his friend. Not a lot of people bother trying, they just see the abrasive side he presents and leave him alone. Just don’t expect anything’s gonna come out of this friendship and you’ll keep from getting hurt. It’ll also protect him in the long run, too.” Putting her hand on Ashley’s, Marnie smiled knowingly at her as if, deep down, she knew Ashley’s feelings for Shane better than she did. 

_ Deep internal breath, Ash. She means well but she can’t possibly think he’s going to be this way forever. Eventually he’ll… _ Ashley stopped those thoughts from entering her brain. Shane is nowhere near as bad off as she thinks. Ashley knew firsthand how bad it could get but, Shane, he’ll be okay. 

“You can call me anytime. In fact,” Ashley wrote her number down and stuck it to the fridge, “I’ll leave my number here if Shane wants to talk. Just...let him do it on his own,” Ashley said with a smile. She stood to go, “Thank you for the coffee and the advice. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With a quick wave, Ashley headed out the door and back home. 

That was a large pill to swallow but Ashley broke it down into manageable parts: Marnie wasn’t going to be able to support Shane like she had hoped so Ashley was on her own. He was not so far gone that he couldn’t be helped and she was better prepared for the eventuality of a suicidal attempt this time around. Despite everything she had learned tonight, Ashley’s resolve was final. Even though Shane wouldn’t admit it yet, she could see beyond his facade that he was hurting but hadn’t given up completely.

\-----

Breakfast was uncomfortably quiet as Marnie helped Jas cut up her pancakes into manageable bites. She clearly had a lot on her mind she wanted to say after Shane came home late last night, carried and cared for by Ashley but he wasn’t in the mood for a lecture.

It was unusual for him to remember anything after getting so wasted but he’s glad he did. He remembered Ashley covering him up and kissing his forehead as she promised to see him again today. In fact, he was really looking forward to seeing the farmer today. Yesterday morning, it seemed as though she’d given up on trying to romance him and it admittedly hurt... a lot. But after last night, the way she handled him drunken and grabby, Shane was relieved that Ashley hadn’t given up on him completely. He finished his breakfast quickly, gave Marnie a quick hug and kissed Jas on the top of the head before heading to work. 

Marnie watched him go and turned to Jas, “What was that all about, you think? Shane hasn’t hugged me in months and he even combed his hair.” Maybe he DID remember something from last night but probably not. That would be extraordinary and that poor boy just didn’t have any good luck. 

Jas just smiled up at Marnie and replied, “I dunno but Uncle Shane sure looked and smelled pretty today.” She kicked her feet happily and ate another bite of her pancakes. 

“Yes, he did, Punkin’. Yes, he did,” the woman grinned as she rubbed her great-neice’s back. It’s possible that she had been wrong about how far Shane had disappeared and how strong a bond he had with Ashley. Still, he was notorious for quitting when things got hard so Marnie kept an open mind while still being realistic.

\-----

Shane, to his annoyance, was actually humming as he restocked the shelves at Joja. It was odd that such a small thing like admitting he was happy at the thought of seeing Ashley today and that they were at least friends could have such a huge impact on his mood. Before he knew it, his shift had ended so he finished breaking down the last of the cardboard boxes and punched out for the day. Remembering that the rest of the town was still shit, he pulled his hoodie up, stuffed his hands in his pockets and pretended to scowl as he made his way to the ranch. 

Just inside the door, Shane called out, “Marnie, I’m in my room if anyone needs me,” and headed to change out of his Joja Mart uniform. 

After throwing on a t-shirt and shorts, Shane opened his closet and dug out his old set of barbells, setting them in front of the mirror. He picked up the twenty pounds and strained at the weight, deciding to drop down to ten pounds. After doing five reps of ten, he set them down and lay on his stomach. Pushing himself up, Shane tried lowering himself back down and fell to the floor. Push Ups were not going to be so easy to fix so he swallowed his pride and took to his knees to do them. Still, he felt good doing something and continued to take it slow while he waited on Ashley to come over.

\-----

Ashley’s day could not have gone more horribly. First thing, the sprinklers were on the fritz so she spent most of the day watering her massive garden before moving on to care for her chickens and feed Buttons. By the time she got the sprinklers fixed, it was late in the afternoon so Ashley was rushing to get her tools put away to visit Shane.  _ Surely he was off work by now and I can’t break my promise, regardless of whether he remembers it or not.  _

Heading up the yard with all her tools in hand, she dumped them beside the steps and rushed inside to clean up. On her way up the stairs, she tripped on the top step and put her hands out to stop her face from hitting the floor. Ashley’s hand throbbed and when she turned it toward her face, there was a huge splinter stuck in her palm. Luckily, she was able to get it out easily and bandaged but by the time she was finished cleaning up, the sun had already begun to touch the horizon.  _ Shit! _

She pulled up Marnie’s number and pressed send. After a few rings, Marnie answered. “Hey, Marnie! It’s Ashley. This day has been against me from the get-go and I just finished. Would you please tell Shane I’m coming over now?” Ashley’s rushed words made her breathless.

“I’m sorry, Chickadee, but Shane left a couple of hours ago. He didn’t look too happy and I haven’t heard from him since. I just called down at the pub but Gus hasn’t seen him and he’s not answering his phone. Truth is, I’m gettin’ a little worried,” Marnie confided and sighed, “Would you do me a favor and look for him? I can’t leave Jas and she’s catching on quick that Uncle Shane isn’t home yet.”

Ashley’s stomach tied into knots as several scenarios played through her head. She breathed in and out to calm herself before answering, “Of course, Marnie. I’ll check the forest and call you when I find him.” 

She hung up and hurried out the door with her phone and a flashlight. To add insult to injury, the darkening sky started rumbling with thunder and opened up, pouring rain steadily just as she shut her front door.  _ Seriously?! _

Once at the bottom of the stairs Ashley sprinted toward the Cindersap Forest and ran circles around the lake but saw no sign of Shane. Remembering that there were cliffs across the river, Ashley felt tears slip down her cheeks as she crossed the bridge, praying she wasn’t too late. Calling out Shane’s name as she ran, he finally gave her a clue to where he was with a groan.  _ Thank Yoba! _ She headed toward the sound and found him passed out next to the cliff, surrounded by so many beer cans she couldn’t count. 

“Shane, I’m here,” Ashley said, shaking as she lowered to the ground next to him. His face was smashed into the mud as he lay on his stomach, a touch of white foam was at his mouth. She remembered the way Jarrod looked laying in the hospital bed and, now, here lay Shane, the man whom she had feelings for. She begged Yoba that it wasn’t too late. 

Shane started wheezing but her name came out clear, “Ashley….I...I’m sorry…” He hiccuped, which was a good sign and Ashley let out a nervous sigh of relief.

“Everything is gonna be alright,” Ashley put her hand on his cheek and his face was ice cold, almost white in color.  _ Why did you do this to yourself, Shane?  _ She thought sadly, wishing she had just left her damn sprinklers and came over sooner. 

“My life...it’s a pathetic joke. Look at me...Why do I even try?” Shane got out before starting to sob. The drool from his face started mixing with the mud as he continued, “I’m too small and stupid to take control of my life...I’m just a piece of garbage…” 

Another big blurp came from his mouth and he started choking. Ashley wrestled with her shaking hands to roll him on his side and rested his head in her lap. The rain washed away the mud from his face and Ashley could see how pale and clammy his skin was. 

“I’ve been coming here lately, looking down. Here’s a chance to finally take control of my life...These cliffs…but I’m too scared, too anxious. Just like always…,” Shane explained as tears rolled down his cheeks. Staring off over the cliffside, he went on, “Ashley, all I do is work, sleep and drink...to dull the feelings of self-hatred. Why should I even go on? Tell me...tell me why I shouldn’t roll off this cliff right now…”

The first words that came to mind were,  _ Because I need you, Shane. I like you a lot...more than friends...  _ But those were not the words she chose. He needed to hear something that would connect him, ground him and give him a purpose. “Because Jas needs you, Shane. You’re like a father to her,” Ashley responded plainly as she combed the hair out of his face. 

His face scrunched up as he cried, “You’re right. Jas...Ugh, Yoba...I’m a horrible, selfish person. Now I feel even worse…” Shane hugged Ashley’s arm to him as he sobbed. She stroked his hair with her other hand and let him cry. When he quieted, he looked up at her with bloodshot eyes, “Ashley, I think I need to go to the hospital.”

Ashley nodded and pulled out her phone to call Doctor Harvey.  _ Please pick up! _

“Dr. Harvey here.”

“Hello, Doctor Harvey. It’s Ashley. Shane needs medical attention; alcohol poisoning. We’re on our way now.”

“I’ll have the clinic prepped when you get here,” the doctor replied calmly and hung up. 

Slipping her phone back in her pocket, Ashley helped Shane to his feet, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and grabbed him around the waist. They made their way past the ranch and toward town, up the square and into the clinic where Harvey had a bed ready and was waiting at the door to help carry Shane. 

Once they got him inside, Ashley collapsed in a chair and texted Marnie to let her know what was going on. She watched the doctor work skillfully and quickly to pump Shane’s stomach and get him hooked up intravenously to re-hydrate his body, fetching her a towel as well. 

After he was finished, Doctor Harvey turned toward Ashley, “He’s going to be okay but it’s good you brought him in when you did. Too much alcohol is terrible for the body but right now I’m most worried about his mental health. When Shane wakes, I’ll have a chat with him about his treatment options. I know an excellent counselor in Zuzu City.”

“Thank you, doctor, for helping Shane. I’m just glad I got there when I did...I don’t want to think about…” Ashley broke down and started sobbing. Harvey awkwardly put his hand on her arm and adjusted his glasses.

“Life can be painful sometimes...but there’s always hope for a better future. You’ve got to believe in that,” the doctor said as he gave a warm smile. 

Ashley sniffled and smiled back, “I do believe in that or I wouldn’t be here, doctor. Can I...stay with him or is that not allowed?”

Harvey’s smile saddened slightly, “Given the circumstances, I can’t allow you to stay all night but you can stay until I close up.” With that, he turned to leave them alone.

Ashley sat in the chair next to Shane’s bed with her elbows on her knees and held his limp hand. It was cold and clammy but she felt it was important for him to have skin to skin contact right now. “Shane. I’m sorry I was so late today but you scared the shit out of me. Please don’t ever do that again,” Ashley whispered as she lowered her head, resting it on his chest. 

She listened to Shane’s shallow, raspy breath and thanked Yoba he was still breathing at all. At that moment, Ashley wanted more than anything to crawl in the bed with Shane and just hold him. She didn’t want him to be alone tonight but the doc had been good enough to let her stay as long as he did. Several minutes later, Harvey was back to let her know it was time. Reluctantly, she nodded her head and stood up. 

“See you later, Shane,” Ashley whispered in his ear before kissing his forehead and combing her fingers through his hair.  _ He won’t remember any of this tomorrow... _ she thought sadly as she made her way to the front of the clinic where Doctor Harvey held the door open for her. 

Ashley waved goodbye and thanked Harvey again before heading back to the farm.  _ Why would he try to drink himself to death after she opened up to him? _ For someone who said they wanted to be friends, Shane sure was being contradictory. 

As soon as Ashley walked into her house, she peeled off her muddy clothes, leaving them next to the door. The smell of alcohol and vomit mixed with the mud was making her stomach sick.  _ It’s a good thing I wasn’t able to stay with Shane, smelling like that. _ Showering quickly, Ashley stumbled into bed where she hugged her pillow and cried herself to sleep. How could she possibly expect to have a romantic relationship with someone that was unfazed by her story? There’s no way Shane and her would ever be more than friends after this.  _ Marnie was right. He doesn’t need a girlfriend, he needs someone who understands what he’s going through. Thank Yoba I’m here… maybe helping Shane will be my redemption for putting my parents through hell… or maybe this is my punishment... _


	5. Why Can't We Be... Friends?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marnie invites Ashley to have dinner with them after Shane gets home from the clinic and their friendship grows.

Ashley awoke the next morning with a puffy face where her pillow was still wet from tears. She got up an hour late and made her way to the bathroom to get ready. After a quick breakfast of toast and orange juice for her and a bit of chum for Buttons, she headed out to care for the chickens first. They were clucking happily when she opened the coop and cleaned out the old hay for fresh. Eggs collected, Ashley headed back inside to wipe them off and put them with the rest of her eggs in the basket for breakfast tomorrow. 

Just after placing the last egg in the basket, a soft knock came at her front door so Ashley hurried over to see who it was. She smiled at the sight of Shane standing on the other side with his hands in his pockets looking around at the farm. “Hey,” she said softly, pulling the door open and motioning him inside. He couldn’t possibly know the joy she felt in seeing him alive and standing here today.

Shane gave her a weak smile and entered, looking around curiously at the small but tidy space, “Hey...Uh, how do I say this...I want to apologize for yesterday...at the cliffs. That was...embarrassing.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

Ashley stood next to him and felt her eyes start to glisten, “I’m just happy you’re still here.” He clearly did not remember how close to death he had been and she was still a little more than upset about his drinking binge after sharing her story. 

Shane noticed the tears welling up in Ashley’s eyes and had to look away, “Wow, it was that serious, huh? I can hardly remember.” He picked at the hem of his jacket before continuing, “Harvey got me in touch with a colleague of his, a therapist in Zuzu City. I’m going to start seeing him next week.”

He sighed heavily before adding quietly, “I wanted to thank you anyway, for taking care of me. And I want you to know I’m going to start taking things a little more serious from now on. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone.” Shane gave her pleading look, hesitated a moment like he wanted to say something else, then turned quickly to leave. 

Ashley watched him walk down the path through her gardens before disappearing at the bottom of the hill.  _ What was that last look all about? _ It made her heart hurt seeing Shane like that, unsure of where they stood, when part of her still wanted to be with him. Marnie’s words were still fresh on her mind, though, so she pushed her feelings for him aside. It’s best for them to be friends right now,  _ especially if he isn’t taking her story, her pain, seriously.  _ Did Shane really want to die so badly or did he think this was some way to get her attention? Either way, the more she thought about it, the more it started to piss her off. 

For the rest of the day, Ashley was melancholy as she harvested her crops and weeded the rows. She took her frustrations out on the rocks and logs, taking a moment to watch Buttons chase bugs or sleep in the middle of her garden. After work, Ashley was heading up to the house when her phone dinged with a text from an unknown number. Upon opening it, she smiled when she read: 

“Shane here. Marnie had your number on the fridge so I borrowed it. Haha. We’d like to have you over for dinner tonight if you’re free.”

_ You’re such a dork, Shane.  _ Despite being upset at him, Ashley’s heart leapt at the thought of spending time with Shane and his family so she responded immediately: “Cool. I’m in. What time and can I bring anything?”

A few moments later Shane responded: “Just bring yourself. Oh, and it’ll be ready in an hour.”

Another text came just after: “You can come earlier, if you like, so we can hang.”

Then another: “But you don’t have to if you don’t want to…”

Followed by another: “I know you’re busy…”

Before Shane could send another text Ashley’s fingers typed: “Be there in fifteen minutes.”

His final response came as she was pulling on a clean sweater: “Great! See you soon. =]”

Ashley stared at the smiley emoji before grinning and shaking her head with a little chuckle. She brushed her teeth and spritzed herself with a little perfume before running the brush through her hair a few times real quick. Smiling at her reflection, she took a deep breath to settle her nerves. This was the first dinner Ashley had been invited to since moving here six months ago so it was kind of a big deal. Plus, it was with the guy she liked a lot.  _ The guy I like that I can only be friends with, _ she reminded herself.

Not wanting to waste another moment, Ashley grabbed a homemade pumpkin pie she had made a few days ago from the freezer and headed out. What was usually a ten minute brisk walk turned into a quick eight minute jog. She stopped just short of the door to catch her breath, smoothed her hair and knocked. Behind the door, there was a lot of shuffling and grunting before Jas opened it and peeked out.

With a serious look on her face she said, “Welcome to the crazy farm, Miss Ashley!” Jas then threw her head back and laughed maniacally before Shane shooed her away with a smile. Ashley noticed he was clean-shaven and had put on cologne. He looked and smelled really nice, a big change from this morning.

“Don’t mind her, she’s just happy I’m home and safe...thanks to you,” his smile lingered, genuine and thankful. Remember the hurt in her heart from earlier? Yeah, it was back with a vengeance and she lost her train of thought.

“I love it...I mean she’s great, Shane. It’s great. I’m saying great an awful lot,” Ashley let out a nervous chuckle and remembered the pie she was holding, “Oh, I made this the other day using some sugar pumpkins from my farm. I know you said not to bring anything but that’s not the way my parents raised me.”

Shane took the pie from her outstretched hands, brushing his fingers against hers, “This is perfect! You just might be Marnie’s favorite person in the world after this.” He stepped out of the way so Ashley could enter and closed the door behind him. Placing his other hand on the small of her back, Shane guided Ashley to the kitchen where the aroma of extra cheesy lasagna and garlic rolls hung in the air. She hoped he didn’t notice how her skin prickled at his touch or the near silent noise she made when the warmth of his hand left her upon entering the kitchen.

“Ashley’s here and she brought homemade pumpkin pie. Better yet, she grew the sugar pumpkins it’s made with,” Shane announced proudly as he set the pie down on the counter for Marnie to inspect. 

She took one look at the pie and then turned toward Ashley, “Oh! My little Chickadee! You are so thoughtful!” The woman wrapped her in a big hug and squeezed her tight. She then said quietly in her ear, “Thank you for your part in saving Shane. He’s lucky to have you as a friend.” She leaned back and wiped the tear from her eye. 

“Dinner will be done in about thirty so you two go find something to do,” Marnie proclaimed loudly with a wink before turning back to make the dinner rolls.

Shane blushed slightly and took Ashley’s hand, “Come on.” He led her outside and let go of her hand. 

Ashley, completely smitten by Shane’s clean image and brain numbed by his cologne, immediately missed the warmth of his hand in hers and the tingle that came with his touch. They walked toward the pond with Jas in tow, who ran over to the cherry tree to start jump roping. Ashley followed Shane over to the fence to watch. 

“Ashley. I’ve been thinking a lot today about everything, about...us. What happened yesterday was scary and it made me realize a lot of things,” Shane said as he listened to Jas giggle when she lost count again before he turned to face Ashley, “The biggest realization I came to is...how much you mean to me. After hearing your story the other night and then putting you through it again last night, I hope you will be able to forgive me.” His eyes reflected the sincerity of his words and her resolve started to melt.

_ Please understand why we can’t be together yet… _ Ashley thought, looking into his eyes to say what needed to be said, “Shane, as your friend, I am always here for you but I need you to promise me you’ll never do that again. Last night scared the shit out of me when I thought I lost you, too.” She couldn’t stop, but her eyes started tearing up again. It was the truth. After everything else she’s lost, she couldn’t lose Shane, too.

Shane had hoped Ashely would forgive him immediately and reciprocate his feelings. He wanted so badly to kiss her and start the relationship they had in his dreams but her words came like a punch in the gut. He swallowed this reality check hard but didn’t give up hope. If Ashley wanted to be friends, he would be friends. She had feelings for him once so it could happen again. 

“I promise I will never drink that much again. As a matter of fact, I’m switching to sparkling water for a while. I started this morning,” Shane replied with a grin. 

Ashley gave him a large smile and hugged him tight, resting her face on his shoulder. His heart gave a leap and he breathed in her calming lavender perfume.  _ Yoba, I don’t know if you are really there or if you can even hear me but please don’t let me fuck this up. I really like this girl. Hell, I may even be in love with her. Please, just...let me be sober long enough to find out. _ He forced himself to let go then stood at her side again to watch Jas. From the corner of his eye, Shane could see the way she smiled at him and it made his chest warm. 

“Hey, can we get a picture together?” Ashley asked Shane, breaking him out of his thoughts. Her warm stare made his heart hurt. No one had ever looked at him this way but rather than feel uncomfortable by Ashley’s gaze, Shane welcomed it. 

He smiled genuinely and said, “Alright. Want me to take it?” Shane produced his phone rather quickly and got the camera ready.

Ashley’s laugh was pure and silky smooth, like harp strings plucked gently into a crescendo. “Alright. As long as you send me copies,” she requested with a smile that Shane snapped a picture of immediately.

“That one is going in my contacts under your name,” Shane said playfully, holding the phone so she couldn’t see.

He started snapping pictures with every face and pose they made. Whether they were good or not, Ashley couldn’t tell but it didn’t matter. This day was pure and innocent, which was a luxury people like them weren’t often afforded. When Jas saw how much fun they were having, she came over to join in and they happily snapped all manner of goofy and fun pictures. 

They were all laughing so much looking through them, picking out their favorites and deleting the really blurry ones, that none of them had heard Marnie’s calls until she walked over and startled them. Her hands on her hips, she loudly announced with a huge grin on her face, “Wash up! Dinner’s ready.” She chuckled as she turned to leave. 

“Alright, Jazzy Bear! Ready to fly?” Shane asked his god-daughter when he took a knee, eyes sparkling playfully. She nodded with a huge grin and jumped on his back. 

Shane held his hands, palm up, over his shoulders for Jas to grip. Ashley watched as Shane slowly rose to his feet with Jas’s sitting on his shoulders. “Ready?” he asked.

“Ready!” Jas replied.

“One, two, three!” Shane called as he leaned forward and sprinted across the grass with Jas squealing gleefully. 

Ashley had no choice but to run after them, grabbing Jas’s jump rope before she did. She watched as Jas slid down in front of Shane, falling into his arms. He swirled her around half a turn before kissing her head and plopping her down on the ground.  _ He is really great with Jas. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was actually his daughter.  _ Ashley blushed at the thought of Shane being a great dad and was still blushing when he turned toward her. She had hoped he wouldn’t notice but the smile on his face indicated otherwise. 

“Hey, you okay?” he asked, putting his hand on her forehead, “Your face is red.” His eyes twinkled knowingly. 

“Mmm-hmm,” Ashley said as she nodded. She didn’t trust words right now while he was touching her. 

Shane’s smile grew annoyingly larger, “Uh-huh. Well, we better get in there. Marnie will give us both a thrashing if we don’t eat her famous lasagna. She’s been working on it all day.” He realized his hand was still on her forehead and brought it down quickly.

Shane helped Jas up on the step stool to wash her hands before washing his own. After Ashley washed her hands, she turned to find Shane standing behind a chair. He motioned her to sit and pushed it in when she did, taking the one next to her. 

“Now that everyone is seated, let’s dig in!” Marnie smiled at the people around the table. She was amazed at Shane’s transformation overnight. It had been so long since she’d seen this side of him and was absolutely elated. A large part of his happiness was due to Ashley’s support and care. If it weren’t for fear of jinxing a good thing, Marnie would have admitted to Ashley she might have been wrong.

Between the four of them, they had eaten almost half of the huge lasagna Marnie made. Shane had eaten a few healthy helpings more than everyone else. Ashley made a comment about how bottomless his stomach is.

“What? It’s not every day I get to eat this stuff! It’s always been my favorite, thanks Aunt Marnie,” Shane smiled sweetly at his Aunt. 

She feigned her heart hurting, “Aw, honey. If I made this every day, I’d never get anything done!” Marnie laughed heartily as she stood up to put the rest of the food away and clear the table. 

Following suit, Ashley stood to help but Marnie stopped her, “Not this time. You and Shane go get Jas ready for bed then he can walk you home.” She winked at the two and sang a song off-key while she worked. Ashley grinned at Marnie, she reminded her of a younger, more spunky Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show. 

“Well, you heard the boss! Off to bed Jas. We’ll come read you a story after you put your pajamas on,” Shane stood up and ruffled her head.

Jas started toward her room but stopped, “Uncle Shane, can Miss Ashley read to me tonight?” She put on her pouty face and big eyes, her secret weapon. 

Shane looked at her and groaned, rolling his eyes really dramatically, “Well, alright. If Miss Ashley agrees, your wish is my command.” Turning to Ashley with a goofy grin, “What say you? Will you read the princess her bedtime story tonight?”

Ashley was smiling so big her face hurt, “Well, when you ask so sweetly, how can I refuse?”

Jas skipped down the hall to get ready for bed while Shane invited Ashley into his bedroom. It was neat and tidy compared to the last time she was here. “You shaved and cleaned your room, too. Nice,” she remarked looking around.

“Sit with me,” Shane said, patting the bed beside him so she did. He unlocked his phone and held it out to Ashley, asking, “Which pictures did you want? I’ll send them real quick before we tuck Jas in.” 

Ashley took the phone from Shane’s hand and started swiping through while he rested his chin on her shoulder to watch. With his warm body next to hers, the scent of his cologne and the feeling of his face inches from hers, Ashley felt her face getting warm. She kept swiping and came upon the picture he had taken candidly. _ It actually turned out really good. _ She settled on her three favorites and sent them to herself. 

When she handed Shane his phone back, he sat up, took a quick pic of himself with a smolder and sent it to her, “You can set that one as my contact.”

The intensity and the look in his green eyes drew her in and she was afraid of drowning in his eyes. There was so much longing in his gaze, she found herself looking at his lips. _ It’s getting really hot in here _ , she thought, reaching up with her hand to touch his smooth cheek before running her fingers through his soft locks, “Shane…” Before she could say anything else, Jas appeared in the doorway with her book in hand. 

“I’m ready for my story now,” she said super sweetly as she ran over and jumped up in Shane’s lap, making him say ‘oof!’.

Ashley quickly stood up and waited to follow Shane, who carried Jas. His own face was flushed red and he found he couldn’t speak. When they got to Jas’s bedroom, Shane plopped her down on the bed and tickled her tummy before pulling up the covers. He sat on the floor next to the bed so Jas could hold his hand and watched Ashley take a seat next to him. 

Ashley was blushing furiously at his gaze and at what happened in his room just now. Being Shane’s friend seemed an impossible task with how much she was attracted to him. Would it really be so bad for him to create an attachment to her like Marnie warned her about? At least she wouldn't have to hide her feelings anymore, especially since he was finally admitting he had feelings for her as well.  _ Why is this so complicated? _ She cleared her throat, “Ahem. Once upon a time…”

After story time, Shane kissed his god-daughter on the top of her head, “Goodnight, Jazzy Bear.” He took Ashley by the hand and they said good night to Marnie, who was sitting at the dining room table flipping through a sewing magazine.

“I’m going to walk Ashley home,” Shane told her when she looked up. 

“Thanks for coming, Chickadee, and thanks for the pumpkin pie,” Marnie replied with a smile before turning back to her magazine. Ashley felt her eyes watching them as they stepped through the doorway to leave. 

Once they were outside, the cool fall evening air prickled Ashley’s skin, making her rub her arms. “I guess my light sweater isn’t warm enough,” she chuckled, shaking slightly. 

Shane wasn’t wearing his hoodie so he wrapped an arm around her and held her close. She snuggled into him as they walked along the moonlight path despite the warnings from Marnie’s talk harping at her conscience.

“Ashley, would you...I mean, if it’s not too much trouble, would you come with me next Thursday to Zuzu? It’ll be the first time I’ve seen a therapist in a long time and I’m a little nervous,” Shane asked her quietly, expecting her to say no. He felt it was a silly thing to ask but she was his only friend and when she was around, he didn’t want to burn the world around him.

Ashley looked at him and, to his surprise, answered, “Of course. The farm is pretty much automated now. I’ll ask Marnie and Jas to tend the chickens while we’re gone that day. I’m sure they won’t mind, especially if I promise to make another pumpkin pie.” She gave him the sweetest smile as if she had expected him to ask.

Shane stopped suddenly to pull her into for a hug.  _ What did I do to deserve someone like Ashley in my life?  _ he thought as they held each other. “Thank you,” Shane said, muffled by her hair.

When he pulled back to look at her, Shane lightly licked his lips and leaned in for a kiss. Ashley’s brain yelled at her to stop him but her heart and her body wanted it. His breath hot against her lips, all it would take was just a centimeter of movement...

“I’m sorry,” Shane said as he let her go and took a step back. “I know you just want to be friends but, before...in my bedroom…” His eyes were watering, lit by the moonlight. 

“Shane, I do want to be your friend but I…” Ashley started, trying to find the words but they wouldn’t come. She wished she had just left the other night without talking to Marnie or let Shane walk his drunk himself inside. That would have made this so much easier.

He ran his fingers through his hair, thinking, then took her hands in his, “You are the best thing that has happened to me in a long, long time, Ashley. I’m glad you’re my friend but...I want more than that now. Before, I was...clouded, but now everything is so clear. Tell me you don’t want to be with me; tell me you just want to be friends and I will be your best friend and nothing more but I need to hear it. I need to know how you feel about me...Please.” 

Ashley felt a tear slip down her cheek. This was everything she wanted and it felt so wrong to do things Marnie’s way. Instead, she let her heart speak, “I really like you, Shane...and...more than just as a friend. When you left my house in the storm that one night, I worked so hard to get you out of my mind but, when I saw you in the Saloon a few nights later...I knew I’d never be able to let you go...which is ridiculous because I never even had you in the first place…”

She was cut short when Shane cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. It was soft and sweet, perfect in every way. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead on Ashley’s and closed his eyes. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do this. And, while we’re being completely honest, I’ve had a crush on you for months now,” he admitted.

Ashley leaned back to look at him and punched his arm playfully, “You mean to tell me...this whole time!” She laughed incredulously.

Shane feigned hurt and rubbed his arm, “Yeah, I’m a jerk but at least we know where things stand. You’ll still come with me Thursday, right?” He pretended to cower away from anymore punches.

“Of course I will. A promise is a promise. Besides, I’m proud of you for going and I want to be the most supportive girlfriend I can be,” Ashley replied with a warm smile. 

When Ashley referred to herself as his girlfriend, Shane smiled. He was about to pull her in for another kiss when his phone dinged in his pocket. He pulled his phone out, cursing softly as he read it.

Marnie had texted: “It’s midnight, and you two have work in the morning”

Ashley was watching Shane’s face, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read the text. She traced the lines of his handsome face with her eyes, lingering on his lips. They were full and red from their kiss, inviting. She looked at his smooth cheeks, admittedly missing the stubble and wondered what it would feel like against her skin. 

When Shane looked up at Ashley to tell her he had to leave, he found her studying him with an admiration similar to the one that scared him away that stormy night. Shane’s words caught in his throat when she locked eyes with him and he gave her one last goodnight kiss before resting his forehead on hers, “I don’t wanna, but I gotta go.”

Ashley sighed heavily, “I know. Can we hang out tomorrow after work?” She closed her eyes and breathed in his cologne before bringing her hands around to his chest. Ashley played with the collar of his polo shirt, fighting the urge to plant a kiss on the little triangle of skin that was showing where his neck and chest met.  _ Slow down, girl... _

“I’ll call you when I get off work and you can have me the rest of the day if you want,” Shane said before stealing one last kiss and separating from her with a reluctant groan. 

Ashley knew she would have to be the one to walk away so she backed up a few steps with a smile before their hands fell between them, “Sounds awesome. Goodnight, Shane.” With that, Ashley turned and walked up the path between her gardens. She could feel Shane’s eyes on her and it made her feel safe, connected. 

Shane dug his hands into his pockets and squeezed the toes of his shoes into the ground to keep from following after Ashley. He watched her stop at the foot of the steps and look back to give him a quick wave before heading inside. He waited until her light went out before turning back toward the ranch. He’d be taking a cold shower tonight. _ That girl has me whipped and she doesn’t even know it. _


	6. Four Letter Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane and Ashley spend the afternoon learning more about each other.

Shane was breathing heavily, the exertion more intense than he remembered. Sweat rolled down his face into his eyes, making him wince with the sting. “I can’t...I have to stop…” he panted, looking at her with pleading eyes. Surely she wasn’t still able to keep going after all that! He was really out of shape if he couldn’t keep up with the farmer. Shane knew she was young and had a lot of energy but this was insanity.  _ Ashley is going to break me, I know it, and she’s enjoying this too much. She’s diabolical but I can’t help it...I love her so damn much. _

“You can’t give up, now Shane! We’re almost there!” Ashley encouraged him as she pedalled her bike the rest of the way uphill and stopped at the farmhouse next to Jas. “Besides, the fun part is the ride back down,” she reminded him.

Jas had set her bicycle down on the ground to put her hands on her knees as she also encouraged him, “C’mon, Uncle Shane! You can do it! Do it for me and for Miss Ashley!” Jas smiled up at her before turning back to her god-father.

Shane grunted as his second wind hit and grimaced as his muscles burned like tongues of fire lashing around the fibers. Three more turns and he made it, collapsing over the handles and panting so hard he was nearly wheezing. “I made it. What’s my consolation prize?” Shane turned his head just enough to look up at his girlfriend, who was smiling proudly back at him.

When he said he wanted to spend the rest of the day with her, Shane thought he and Ashley would be having a nice, quiet picnic dinner and makeout session but, no. Marnie had found these old bicycles in the barn and she thought it would be great for them to knock the rust off by riding them. It was Ashley’s idea to ride them uphill to her house and Jas’s idea to ride them back downhill to the ranch.

Ashley leaned down and kissed his sweaty lips.  _ Mmm, salty. _ “The rest will come later,” she teased quietly. Then, turning to Jas, she added, “Let’s park these beasts and get some water before your Uncle Shane falls over.” 

Shane let out a dramatically loud groan as he pulled himself away from the bicycle and draped his arm around Ashley’s shoulder, making sure she could feel how sweaty he was. “This is your doing, _ ” _ he laughed.

“Ew, Shane! You’re so sweaty!” Ashley giggled, knowing this was the response he was expecting. What she wanted to do was pull him around for another kiss but instead she playfully pushed Shane’s arm off her shoulder and stepped inside. 

After a quick water break, Jas wanted to explore Miss Ashley’s house since she’d never been inside before. There wasn’t much to show but they started in her new kitchen, moved to the small breakfast nook and into the living room. Lastly, Ashley opened her bedroom door and blushed when Shane entered, looked at her queen-sized bed and raised an eyebrow. “And, this is my bedroom and new bathroom. Mrs. Robin fixed up my house for me, Jas. Didn’t she do a good job?” Ashley asked the sweet little girl that was holding her hand as they went around. 

“Pretty nice,” Jas replied as she looked around one last time, nodding her head, “Uncle Shane is better. It’s time to ride bikes again.” With that Jas let go of Ashley’s hand and bounded toward the front door.

“Don’t take off without us, Jas!” Shane called after her before turning to Ashley and wrapping his arms around her. “How do you feel about dropping Jas off at the ranch and having a picnic dinner with me?” 

Ashley barely heard what he said being this close to him in her bedroom. Right next to her bed, touching Shane... ”Picnic dinner sounds nice,” she replied softly. She cleared her throat, “Um, can we...uh, get out my bedroom? It’s getting hot in here and I, uh…” Her finger traced the center of his chest, “I’m finding it difficult to take things slow at this moment…”

The lust in Ashley’s eyes was mirrored in Shane’s and he realized his hands had moved dangerously close to her backside. “Yeah. Let’s, uh, come back to this another time,” he said, quickly letting Ashley go to take her hand and pull them away from temptation. 

When they got outside, Jas had her helmet on and was sitting on the edge of the porch kicking her legs while Buttons rubbed up against her back, “Finally!” she said loudly, rolling her eyes to make Shane and Ashley laugh. 

Ashley glanced over at Shane to see his smile and listened to his smooth, deep laugh. It was the first time Ashley had heard Shane laugh and it gave her chills. It was a deep, hearty laugh that was smooth to her ears and warmed Ashley to her core. _Yoba,_ _am I falling in love with Shane?_

They mounted the bicycles and, on the count of three, started downhill. Jas wanted to go first so Ashley and Shane followed behind, riding beside each other. Jas squealed with delight as the wind whipped past her and she pedalled faster. Shane put his arms out like he was flying and let out a whoop! Ashley laughed wildly as he wobbled and had to grab the handlebars again to keep balance. Swooping around to the front of the ranch, they parked the bikes next to the fence and laughed at the exhilaration of the ride.

“That was fun! We need to do it again, Uncle Shane!” Jas said excitedly as she grinned ear-to-ear. 

“Not today, Jazzy Bear. There’s no way I can make it up that hill again,” Shane said as he used the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face. “Besides, it’s time for you to spend some time with your great-aunt Marnie,” he said matter-of-fact in a way that Jas knew he meant it. 

“Okay, but we will do it again, right, Miss Ashley?” Jas gave her the magic pouty face and eyes, knowing now that it worked on her, too.

Ashley smiled and patted her head, “Of course we will, sweetie! But now it’s time to listen to Uncle Shane. I’ll see you later, okay?” Jas nodded happily before she hugged Ashley. Next she hugged Shane and skipped inside. 

“Usurper!” Shane accused her. He was looking at Ashley pretending to be injured and held his hands over his heart.

Ashley frowned at him, pretending to be confused, and giggled, “What?” She knew Shane was talking about the fact that Jas hugged her first but it was too much fun teasing him.

Their playful banter was cut short when Marnie called them all inside for dinner. Ashley held out her hand for Shane to take, knowing he would hold it anyway. It was a happy constant between the two of them and she already knew her boyfriend was definitely more touch-starved. He smiled and took her outstretched hand, kissing the back of it before lacing their fingers and opening the door for her. They made their way to the kitchen to wash up. 

“Heya, Chickadee! Shane said you’d be coming over for dinner but asked me to wrap it up,” Marnie smiled at the couple and motioned to the countertop. “Anyway, it’s over there. You kids don’t stay out too late, ya hear?”

“You’re the best, Marnie, really,” Shane gushed as he scooped up the basket of food she wrapped up for them, giving her a hug on the way out.

Ashley beamed at her, happy that she was supportive of their relationship, “You really are the best. Thank you, Marnie.” She felt Shane’s hand take hers again and gave a small wave with the other before they headed out. 

Shane led her around the pond past the cherry tree to a secluded part of the woods. They stepped over a downed log and headed to a clearing just beyond sight. “Nobody comes out here so we can talk without worrying about anyone overhearing,” he explained as he fluffed the picnic blanket out. 

Ashley grabbed the other two corners and helped him straighten it. Once flat, he placed the basket in the middle and pulled her down to sit with him. Shane lay on his side with his legs straight and ankles crossed, rifling through the basket and setting things out. Ashley started taking the plastic wrap off of everything when Shane stopped suddenly and his face turned tomato red. 

“What is it?” Ashley asked, peering into the basket. In the bottom, she saw a small and flat square package. Upon reading the words, her face turned red to match. Marnie had packed a condom. Whether the intent was to say she approved of their relationship or to keep them from having sex by embarrassing them was unclear. Both of them were blushing furiously, though. 

Shane fell over onto his back and put his hands over his face, “Fuuuuck. I’m sorry, Ashley.” His words came out muffled but she heard them well enough.

She moved the basket and the food aside to scoot next to him, “It’s alright. Save it for a rainy day. I’ve, uh, already been trying to think of a way to discreetly buy some since I started crushing on you but this town is just too small. I didn’t want word to get back around to you.”

He uncovered his eyes to look at her, “Why would that matter?” 

Ashley bashfully looked away, “I was afraid you would think there was someone else. If you thought I was dating someone else, would you have given me a second thought?” She turned to look at Shane again as he pondered her question.

“Not at first but, when I started crushing on you...maybe. If I thought you were with someone else two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have come after you in the storm that night,” he admitted. 

“And if you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here now,” Ashley added, running her fingers through his hair before leaning down for a quick peck. She stared down into his gorgeous green eyes a moment before moving away but Shane put his hand behind Ashley’s neck to pull her back down for a proper kiss. 

It was a long, deep kiss that drew a noise from Shane and took Ashley’s breath away with it’s fervor. Shane wanted to wrap her up completely, tempted by the condom that lay in the bottom of the basket but he fought it. With Ashley, time seemed to go on and he didn’t want to rush anything. 

When Ashley finally pulled back for a breath, Shane followed her up to sit, “If we don’t eat the food Marnie sent, she won’t pack any next time. There’ll just be a basket full of bondage gear or some shit.” 

Ashley looked at Shane in horror until she saw the smirk curling at his lips and burst out laughing. She swatted his arm, “You’re so bad! I’m not going to be able to get the image of Mayor Lewis and Marnie wearing leather straps and silver studs out of my head now, thanks to you.” She rolled her eyes but snorted when she saw his jaw open. 

“Surely you know about them sneaking around town?” she asked him, surprised at Shane’s shocked reaction.

He started stammering, “Well...yeah, of course I know but how do you? They keep it pretty tight.” Shane looked at her with a curious but dumbfounded look while he waited on her answer.

“I’ve caught them a few times while out and about. Plus, there was this one time Lewis asked me to find his lucky purple shorts. Do you know where I found them?” Ashley’s eyes twinkled mischievously. 

Shane’s eyes widened in realization before he narrowed them at her, “Wait. What were you doing in Marnie’s bedroom anyway?” Ashley was a little more devious than he thought if she was the kind to go sneaking around people’s houses. What else had she seen?

“Relax. Marnie was there. She invited me in to look at some of the old family photos hung up on the wall. I noticed the shorts laying on the floor and snuck them out to return to Lewis. Besides, at the time I really needed the money he paid me to do it. Not one of my proudest moments…” Ashley explained, suddenly really embarrassed and wished she hadn’t said anything in the first place. To reassure Shane her days of sneaking things away were done she added, “Don’t worry. I’ve put my life of espionage behind me now. It’s much more rewarding to help the people posting on the bulletin board. Can we please change the subject?”

Shane gave her a sideways smile, “Your secret is safe with me. I trust you, Ashley.” 

He broke out the rest of the food and started dividing it up with Ashley’s help, eating as they continued their talks. Marnie had packed buttery dinner rolls, some fried chicken, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and a bowl of banana pudding.

“So, I’ve shared some of my secrets. What would you like to share with me?” Ashley asked with a sweet smile. 

Shane shifted on the blanket uncomfortably, trying not to spill his plate. He’d almost forgotten his promise to share his past, too, so he said the first thing that came to mind, “I never wanted to have children until Jas was born. The first time I laid eyes on my baby niece, so tiny and fragile, I knew I would do anything to protect her. When things went downhill for my brother and his wife, it wasn’t safe for her to stay there but I couldn’t get custody of her. I tried but the judge and jury ruled to let Jas stay with her parents due to my history of substance abuse.” 

Ashley nodded in understanding and put her hand on Shane’s. “Where is your brother now?” she asked quietly. 

Shane felt bad not wanting to share as much with Ashley as she had. As comfortable as he had become around her, he was still getting used to the idea of having someone who cared about what he had gone through and wanted to hear it. “I can’t say...It’s...I promise I’ll tell you more it’s just, I haven’t…” 

Ashley smiled sadly, knowing how difficult it is to open up to new people and he had already made loads of progress, “You can talk to me whenever you’re comfortable, Shane. I won’t ever force you to, okay? But I’m glad you and Jas are here now. It’s very clear to anyone with eyes that you have a strong bond with each other and Jas is thriving. She’s lucky to have you.” 

Looking at her hand on his, Shane rubbed her fingers lightly with his thumb and smiled sadly, “Marnie keeps telling me it’s safe here. For Jas, sure, but for me...I waited a long time to feel safe anywhere but it wasn’t until you saved my life that I even considered this place safe for me as well.” 

He suddenly remembered something from the other night but wasn’t sure it actually happened. Gathering up the nerve, Shane asked, “What happened at the clinic? Normally I don’t remember stuff but I remembered your presence, like, not just sitting in the chair beside me, but, like, on me. Does that make sense?”

Ashley’s smile had warmed, “Actually, I knew skin to skin contact was important so I held your hand and…” She almost added that she had laid her head on his chest but that seemed a little too intimate, “I kissed your forehead before I left, asking you never to scare the shit out of me like that again.”

Shane watched the starlight twinkle in Ashley’s eyes as she spoke. When she finished, he smiled, then nodded his head, “It was the kiss. I thought I was mixing that up with that night you walked my grabby, drunk ass home.”

“You remembered that, too?” Ashley asked, her brow furrowed.  _ Marnie said he wouldn’t remember… _

Shane nodded slowly, “Yup.” He accentuated the ‘p’ in yup, making it pop. “I should have realized how important you are to me then. Usually, I remember fuck-all after getting blackout drunk like that and it’s been...shit, I’m twenty-nine so that’s...eight years ago since I started drinking. I’ve always been this way… until now.”

It pained Ashley to hear he’s been dealing with all this, alone, for nearly a decade. But, she knew things would make more sense as he opened up to her. She wasn’t going anywhere, though, so they had plenty of time.

Ashley held his hand in hers, “I have a mantra I recite whenever I’m hungry, angry, lonely, tired or wanting a drink: Take one day at a time, act your way into right thinking and do the next right thing. If I’m hungry, I eat; if I’m angry, I scream; if I’m lonely, I watch a show; if I’m tired, I sleep. No more do I rely on alcohol. It killed my best friend and destroyed my family. I’ve given it enough.” She looked into Shane’s eyes before adding, “It even tried to take you from me but I thank Yoba you’re still here.” 

The tears fell whether Ashley wanted them to or not. When she tried to turn away from Shane, he sat their empty plates aside and hugged her to him. She cried into his chest while he rocked her, stroking her hair and kissed the top of her head. After a time, she finally quieted and Shane lifted her chin to look at him, wiping a tear from her cheek. 

“Thank you for being so supportive. I know I’m broken and, I’ll warn you, I can get clingy but I will always be here for you, too. And, you don’t ever have to be ashamed of anything when you’re with me, okay?” Shane told her with a tenderness in his eyes he hadn’t been capable of with anyone but Jas. 

Reaching up, Ashley swept a lock of Shane’s hair out of his eyes so she could see them better. He was so beautiful, even in his brokenness, and she found herself falling harder for him. Sitting upright to face Shane, Ashley put her cheek against his and brushed her lips against his ear, whispering, “You’re perfect to me just the way you are.” 

Shane hugged Ashley tight and cried into her shoulder before his lips found hers. The kiss was tender and salty but sweeter than any of the others. Unsure of how long they sat there making out, when they finally broke, Shane was trembling, “Ashley, these past two days with you have been the best days of my life. Promise me that if I start to fuck it all up you’ll tell me. I honestly don’t know how long I can keep this pace but I promise to do my best for you.”

She smiled tenderly at her boyfriend, “I promise, but only if you will do the same for me. Not every day has to be like these past two days. If we hold the rest of our relationship to that standard, it will fail. Remember this, I don’t want to be with anyone else but you, Shane. We’ll take each day as it comes.” 

Shane smiled and gave Ashley a quick peck before pulling her down to lay on the blanket. He rested his head on her stomach while she idly combed her hands through his hair as they lay there staring up at the stars.  _ I’m going to marry this girl one day... _


	7. Analyze This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane goes to his first therapy session with Ashley tagging along for moral support. While in the city, Shane finds more than just a little help.

Back and forth Ashley rushed checking for keys, phone, and making sure her wallet was in her purse. She turned to Shane, who was nervously watching her, “Okay, that’s everything. Marnie has my extra key and Buttons is fed so we’re ready to go.” 

Holding out her hand for him to take, Shane took it, squeezed and gave her a nervous smile. They walked quietly to the bus stop but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence for either of them. After their picnic the other day, things settled back to the new normal. Shane was still a bit of a grump ‘because I have a reputation to uphold’ but it had toned down enough that the townsfolk were starting to talk. They hadn’t officially announced their relationship but people were putting two and two together since Jodi saw them heading to the clinic the night Shane nearly died. If either the farmer or Shane weren’t working, neither were seen in town so ‘they had to be together’. Or so was the consensus among the gossip circle according to Marnie. Furthermore, the absolute lack of details and downright deflection she gave Caroline and Jodi was confirmation enough.

When they got to the bus stop, Shane hugged Ashley to him for support. It had been a little over two years since he’d been to therapy but the relapse worried him. He didn’t say anything, afraid to worry Ashley, but Shane was scared of losing Jas if he wasn’t successful this time around. 

Snuggling under Shane’s chin, Ashley reassured him, “Everything is going to be fine and I’ll be right outside in the waiting room. Remember, you are doing this for Jas’s sake.”

He reared back to look at Ashley. “And for you,” he added quietly before kissing her forehead and pulling her back into the hug. He rocked her idly until the bus roared into view, brakes squeaking loudly as it halted and hissed. 

The door opened so they boarded hand-in-hand, gave their tickets to the driver and took a seat near the rear of the bus. Shane squeezed her hand and rested it on his leg, “I can’t thank you enough for coming with me today.”

Ashley smiled up at him, “I’m happy to be here for extra moral support. Perks of being my boyfriend.” When Shane smiled back, she rested her head on his shoulder and felt him lean against her. 

They talked quietly about the Stardew Valley Festival coming up, the Spirit’s Eve celebration after that and her twenty-fifth birthday two weeks later making the two hour ride go by quickly. The bus squeaked to a halt again and Ashley stepped off while Shane tipped the driver and joined her. Zuzu City loomed around them with its noisy streets and busy people. Ashley felt Shane’s hand slowly slip in hers and they both squeezed for support before setting off for the therapist’s building two blocks away.

The lobby was a clean white with subtle gray undertones donned by minimalist art on the walls. As they approached the desk, a woman with thick-rimmed cat-style glasses peered up at them and asked, “Do you have an appointment?” 

Shane nodded, “Mr. Shane Rogers. I’m here to see Dr. Burke.” He waited for her to check the computer. His hands started to sweat and he hoped Ashley didn’t notice. If she did, she didn’t let go and Shane was thankful for that. 

“Dr. Burke’s office is on floor four. Take the elevator and exit right to the waiting room. He’ll call you back shortly,” the receptionist smiled briefly before answering the phone. 

Ashley pushed the button on the elevator and stepped in with Shane right beside her. His hand was glued to hers by now but he continued on. She was so proud of him getting this far but his nervousness was starting to get to her. As soon as the door closed, Ashley planted a kiss on Shane’s lips, surprising him at first but he leaned into it until the elevator dinged. 

“Better?” Ashley asked as they stepped off the elevator and headed right, toward the waiting room. The smile on Shane’s face told her it had worked.

“Better,” he repeated, lips tingling with the subtle taste of strawberries. 

They had only been seated a few minutes when Dr. Burke’s door opened and a man stepped out followed by the doctor. They shook hands and the patient walked away with a relieved grin on his face, nodding to Shane and Ashley as he passed.

Dr. Burke looked at Shane and gave him a friendly smile, “Mr. Rogers, you can come on back.” He gestured toward the open door.

Shane kissed the back of Ashley’s hand before standing up and walking over to shake the doctor’s hand. Just before he stepped into the office, Shane looked back at Ashley who had a supportive grin on her face and nodded. He grinned back and Dr. Burke closed the door behind them.

Ashley browsed her phone a while before flipping through several magazines to pass the time, finding a few gardening tips in one of them. She took her phone out and snapped a picture of the page for later. Just after slipping her phone back in her purse the door opened and Shane stepped out with a large smile. Dr. Burke followed, laughing as they made their way over to Ashley. When she realized they were coming to talk to her, she put the magazine down and stood up.

Extending his right hand, Dr. Burke said, “Miss Ashley, I presume. Shane is very fortunate to have such a supportive person in his life.” 

She blushed slightly, smiling and shook his hand, “Well, we’re both fortunate to have each other.” Shane moved to Ashley’s left to hold her hand.

“Indeed,” the doctor responded before addressing them both, “It was nice to meet you, Miss Ashley and, Mr. Rogers, I’ll see you in two weeks. You can get the details for your appointment downstairs at reception.” With that, Dr. Burke turned and hurried back to his office.

“Sounds like you had a good session,” Ashley said optimistically as Shane pushed the elevator button. 

The door dinged and an elderly couple peered up at them with sweet smiles. Shane held the door for them before stepping inside with Ashley and watched the way the old man helped his wife to her seat. He looked at Ashley and wondered if they would be that way when they grew old and blushed. He hadn’t even been able to tell her how he truly felt for her and was already picturing them growing old together. 

Realizing he hadn’t answered Ashley yet, Shane smiled, “Yeah. He was really nice. Today he mostly wanted to get to know me. The real meaty sessions will start next time, I think. But, uh, I have to admit, having you here with me helped loads.”

Ashley beamed at him, “I’ll come to as many sessions as you need me to. We support each other, right?” She felt like everything was falling into place now that Shane was going to therapy again and they had quit fighting their feelings for each other.

Shane pulled her to him and kissed her on the temple. “Always,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug.  _ I must be dreaming or this is some elaborate prank... _

They stopped off at reception for his papers and appointment card before leaving the building. The streets were busier than this morning with the lunch rush. Ashley’s stomach growled as the scent of burgers floated by her nose. 

“Can we grab a bite before we leave? I’m starved and whatever burger joint I’m smelling is where we need to go,” Ashley asked, sniffing the air and holding her stomach with her free hand. 

Shane looked in the direction she was sniffing and recognized the building, “Hell, yes! This place is great. I used to come here all the time growing up. Best burgers in the city, hands down. The owners are great, too.” 

Ashley giggled at his enthusiasm and they made their way across the street and to the corner to a small building that was squished in-between two others. It was a proper hole-in-the-wall joint that you could easily pass by without noticing if it weren’t for the heavenly aroma pulling you in.

The bell on the door gave a little jingle as they stepped inside. The place was packed and Shane saw Ashley frown in disappointment at there not being an empty table. She was ready to leave when the young man behind the counter called out, “Yo, Shane Rogers! I can’t believe it!”

Shane smiled at the man and clapped hands over the counter, “Vinnie! How’ve you been, man?”

Vinnie called over his shoulder, “Same as always, work, play sleep.” He turned his head toward the kitchen window behind him and yelled, “Hey, Pa! Come out here! Shane the Train Rogers is back in the house!”

His face flushed furiously at his old nickname but Ashley looked at him with an amused face. Shane pulled her next to him and held her hand fast.

Vinnie caught notice and smiled at Ashley, propping up on the counter on his elbows, “Well, well! Looks like you finally settled down with a pretty girl after all, huh?”

He opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Ashley smiled and answered for him, “We’re just dating but we’ll settle down in due time.” She grinned at Shane, causing him to blush more at her announcing their relationship loudly to his oldest friend.

“Vinnie! Settle down now,” an older gentleman appeared through the double doors and came around the counter. He grabbed Shane and hugged him fiercely, “Shane, son, it’s good to see you again. Four years is too long without a card, or call or nothing. Now, tell me what brings you back to Zuzu?”

Having regained the ability to speak again, Shane smiled and pointed to Ashley, “We were just visiting when Ashley smelled your burgers. She’s never been here before so I can’t take her home without one, Mr. Panitelli. Can we get some to go?”

Mr. Panitelli scoffed, “There'll be no ordering to go. You two can sit in the back so we can visit properly.” He turned and called out, “Vinnie! Two specials with vanilla shakes. Have it sent to the VIP table.” Then Mr. Panitelli ushered them behind the double doors to the back where there was a small table for four. 

Ashley sat in the back corner so Shane could sit next to Mr. Panitelli. It was the first time Shane didn’t reflexively grab her hand to hold and she missed it. 

The older man leaned back in his chair to get a better look at the couple, “So, Shane. Wanna tell me why you’re really back in Zuzu?” He eyed him with deep concern, much like Ashley’s parents had eyed her when she first showed signs of alcohol dependency.

Shane shifted in his seat a moment before taking a deep breath and running his hand through his hair, “I relapsed, big time, Tony. I did alright for the first few months after my accident but when I couldn’t get custody of Jas, I…I lost it for a while. After Matt and Annie split, Jas was put into foster care for two years while I begged everyone in my family for help. I’d given up hope when my Aunt Marnie called me up out of the blue eight months ago and offered to take us in if I helped with the ranch. Marnie got temporary custody of Jas until I could be clean for a year but Pelican Town is a shit-hole and the only job I could get was at a fucking Joja Mart.” He shook his head and scoffed.

Mr. Panitelli and Ashley listened quietly as Shane continued, “This past weekend, I nearly died but Ashley saved me.” She felt the warmth of his hand on her knee so she put her hand on his and squeezed, giving Shane a supportive smile. He returned it and Tony cleared his throat.

“Well,” Tony started, “I’m sorry to hear things got so bad, Shane, but you shoulda called. You know you’re like a son to Marge and me. She still asks about you, all the time.” He looked hard at Shane before his gaze softened, “How long are you here for? We’d love to have you two over for dinner. Let Ashley meet the missus.”

Shane shook his head, “Just for the day. We have to catch the next bus for home in an hour but we’ll be back in two weeks.” He turned to look at Ashley for her opinion. 

She smiled and nodded, “That would be great!” Her mind was swimming with questions.  _ Does the bus run after midnight? Would they have to stay the night in the city? Should they get separate rooms? _

Tony grinned, “We’ll keep in touch, then. I’m glad to see you got good support. How long have you two been together?”

Shane blushed brightly and looked down at the floor, “Well. We’ve only been dating a week but Ashley had been trying for months to get me to notice her.” He looked up at her bashfully and she smiled back. 

Tony let out a booming laugh and slapped his knee, “Son, no offense, but you musta been pretty bad off to not notice this pretty, young thing. Vinnie would have been howling at the moon if a girl like you were to swoon over him.”

“Well Shane can be pretty stubborn, Mr. Panitelli, but I persisted. If only he could see the man I see in him,” Ashley said as she stroked his hand underneath the table, “Plus, we’ve both been through a lot recently so it’s nice to have each other.”

Tony chuckled, “Shane has always been a stubborn one, that’s for damn sure. I’m happy for you two and, if you don’t mind me saying, you two look like you’ve been together a lot longer than a week.” He smiled knowingly, “What does Princess Jas have to say about it?”

Shane smirked and looked at Mr. Panitelli, “Jas loves Ashley, Tony. Really. She doesn’t open up to people but she took to Ashley fast.” 

The old man’s laughter was joyful, “I’m glad to hear it. She’s a keeper, Shane. Do good by each other and you’ll be fine.” 

Vinnie entered with their food, setting it in the center of the table with a smile. He set the first milkshake in front of Ashley with a bashful smile. She noticed there were two cherries and smiled big. “Thank you, Vinnie,” she said sweetly.

Shane had to wipe his mouth, salivating so much at the sight of his favorite burger, “Thanks, Vinnie.” He started to reach for his burger but Tony cleared his throat and bowed his head. Shane stopped and followed suit so Ashley bowed her head, too.

“Yoba, thank you for this food and for the gift of this day. Bless our family and bless Shane and Ashley. Amen,” Mr. Panitelli prayed before standing up, “You kids enjoy and I’ll be back in a bit to check on you.” He slapped Shane on the back and winked at Ashley before heading back to work.

After taking one bite of the burger, neither of them stopped to talk. It was indeed the best burger she had ever eaten. Most burger joints used frozen patties and seasoned them afterwards but not Panitelli’s. They used fresh ground beef and seasoned it well before cooking it on the grill. Perfectly red in the center and juicy, Ashley had to keep wiping her mouth out of embarrassment but remembered what Shane had said. Besides, he himself was over there licking his fingers and making a huge mess so she relaxed. When they had finished, both leaned back in their chairs and rubbed their stomachs at the same time. Taking notice they chuckled lightly, careful not to bust their guts.

“Holy shit! I’ll never eat another burger again. These are the BEST,” Ashley proclaimed happily. 

Shane smiled at Ashley, “I’ve missed these burgers...and the Panitelli’s.” He sighed, “They’re as good as family. Vinnie’s older brother, Antony, was my best friend but he died fighting the Gotoro Empire while I was in college.” 

Ashley put her hand on Shane’s arm for comfort, “I’m so sorry.” She had learned more about Shane’s past today than in the past six months. 

He smiled at her weakly and patted her hand, “We can’t change the past but we have our future to look to, right?” Shane brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it before standing up with a groan, “I’ve got to visit the restroom. Will you be okay for a few minutes?” He waited for Ashley to nod before leaving.

Sitting back a moment, Ashley pondered on the new things she had learned about her boyfriend.  _ Shane the Train Rogers _ , she thought, smiling. At some point he had played gridball and had an accident.  _ Is that why he had the substance abuse problem? _ He had also lost his best friend…  _ Jarrod would have liked Shane but Shane would have been annoyed by him. _ Jarrod had a way of poking fun at people, really tweaking their nerves, to get to know them. If you could get past his harassments, he became a fierce and loyal friend for life.  _ As short as his life was… _ Tears stung her eyes so she busied herself with cleaning up the table and stacking plates to busy her mind. She didn’t need Shane or the Panitelli’s to see her crying alone, in the back of the restaurant. 

Mr. Panitelli came through the kitchen door shortly after to find Ashley sitting alone after just straightening the table, “Shane’s in the facilities?” Ashley nodded and gave a weak grin. He studied her a moment, “So, what’s your story? You must have moved to Pelican Town around the same time Shane did.”

Ashley cleared her throat and nodded, “Shane and Jas moved there about a month before I did. My grandpa passed away some years ago and left his farm to me when I was young. After my parents died, I quit my job working at Joja Corp and moved there to take it over. I met Shane my first day and kinda fell head over heels. It was a strange feeling, having never even talked to him but after the stuff I’d been through I just kinda went with it. When I realized he wasn’t interested I tried to accept it. Things started to change and then...he nearly drank himself to death.” A tear rolled down her cheek so she wiped it away before continuing, “He really scared me, Mr. Panitelli. I was so afraid I had lost him…”

Tony, who had sat down in the chair next to her, put his arm around her shoulder. He was surprisingly easy to talk to and reminded her of her Uncle Bill. 

“Shane has had a difficult life and I can tell you have, too. He’s like a son to me, Ashley, but I’m glad he has you. Everyone else abandoned him, well, except Marnie, and I guess he just forgot about us with everything else going on. If either of you need anything, think to call us, okay? Heck, just have him call anytime,” He said, laying a business card on the table in front of her, “And I still expect you two to come have dinner next time you’re out this way.”

Ashley picked it up and turned it around in her hand, “I’ll have him call.” 

Just then, Shane walked in and stopped, a look of worry on his face at seeing Ashley’s pink eyes and Tony’s arm around her shoulder. “Everything okay?” he asked slowly, looking between the two sitting at the table.

Tony stood up and walked over to Shane, “Ashley and I were just talking about her time in Pelican Town. Don’t be a stranger, son, alright? Lunch is on me.” He winked at Ashley and hugged Shane before heading back to the kitchen.

“You were crying. What happened, Ashley?” Shane asked, the worry coming back as he made his way over, moving the chair so he could squat down in front of her. The need to protect Ashley came in full force. 

Smiling weakly at Shane, Ashley answered honestly, “I was just processing everything and my brain wandered. Sometimes I get sad when I’m left to my own thoughts but Mr. Panitelli found me cleaning up and helped me talk through stuff. He's glad we have each other and so am I.” She leaned over to hug Shane close, needing to feel his warmth. 

He wrapped his arms around her, “I’m happy we’re together, too, Ashley.” Shane hugged her a moment before standing, pulled her to her feet and kissed her temple, “C’mon. We need to get going or we’ll miss the bus.” Shane put his arm around Ashley’s shoulder and they headed toward the front. 

With the lunch rush over, the place was nearly deserted save for a few stragglers. They waved goodbye to Vinnie and the others before heading back out onto the street, having just enough time to get across the busy road before the bus pulled up on the curb. 

There were a few couples sitting in the middle so Shane led Ashley to the back of the bus and they snuggled close. Shane positioned himself to lean against the window and pulled Ashley next to him. Before too long, they both had fallen asleep after such an eventful day and awoke to the call of the bus driver. 

Ashley was first to rowse, gently shaking Shane’s arm to wake him, “Hey, we’re home.”

Shane’s eyes fluttered open. “Already?” he asked, giving in to a stretch before standing. 

Once off the bus, Shane and Ashley walked hand-in-hand toward the farmhouse before turning down the center path toward the ranch. When Jas heard the door open she ran and jumped up in Shane’s arms, hugging his neck tight. “I missed you, too, Jazzy Bear,” he said with a chuckle.

“You were gone all day, Uncle Shane! Did you bring me anything back?” Jas asked, her eyes twinkling.

“As a matter of fact,” he started before pulling a small bag of candy out of his pocket, “I brought your favorite.” Jas’s eyes grew impossibly large as she looked at the bag of candy that was all hers.

She nearly broke his neck hugging him so tight. “Thank you, Uncle Shane!” she yelled before grabbing the bag. Before she ran off, she hugged Ashley’s leg and went to enjoy her treat.

Marnie appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hand on a towel, “So, how did it go?” She reached behind the counter for Ashley’s extra house key while waiting on an answer.

Shane leaned on the counter and smiled, “It was great. The next session is in two weeks; that’s when the real progress begins. Honestly, it would have been a lot more difficult without Ashley coming. Maybe she can come to the next one with me.” He looked over at Ashley and smiled warmly.

She smiled back and rubbed his back, “As long as we get to eat burgers at Panitelli’s again, it’s a date.”

Marnie handed her the key and told her the farm was fine before bidding her goodbye to finish dinner. Shane watched Marnie walk off before straightening and pulled Ashley to him, “I feel like I haven’t kissed you all day but I know I have.” He playfully brushed his lips against hers before pressing them together, making a soft click as he came away. 

“You can kiss me as much as you like,” Ashley whispered into his lips, smiling peacefully. She was glad to be home but it had been a long day. As nice as it had been to sleep on the bus cuddled up next to Shane it was not entirely restful. “But I really should be getting home. I’m tired from all of today’s excitement.”

Shane kissed her again. “I guess, but I don’t want you to go,” he whispered, playfully hugging her around the waist. “Can I keep you? I’ll make a little cot in my closet and feed you and make sure you have plenty of clean water,” He joked and braced his arm against Ashley’s fist. 

“You ARE terrible!” She laughed and lightly punched his arm before giving him a quick peck goodbye.

Shane watched Ashley turn to leave but she stopped to look over her shoulder after opening the door. “See you tomorrow,” she said then blew him a kiss and eased the door shut behind her.

It wasn’t terribly late but her fatigue was hitting hard when she realized she would have to walk uphill to get home. Taking a deep breath, she continued on the path lost in thought, playing with the hem of her shirt, when someone grabbed her from behind.


	8. After Session Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane spends Friday night with his two beautiful girls while the threat of a hurricane looms.

Right after the ranch door closed, Shane stood for a moment thinking about how much he missed her already. Ashley had seen him both at his worst and his best but still chose to be with him. She made him want to start working out again, to be better and literally saved his life. Ashley loved his god-daughter and got along with his rag-tag family and they loved her.  _ Dude, you are so in love with her. Why wouldn’t you be? _

“Marnie! I’ll be back in a few!” Shane called out before he rushed out the door to run after her. He needed Ashley to know how he felt about her and it couldn’t wait. He had waited too long and wasted too much time this year already. 

Shane came around the bend to find Ashley halfway home. Running up behind her, he slid his arms around her waist and turned her around in one fluid motion. “Ashley,” he breathed heavily, not used to running that fast. 

Her tired eyes looked at Shane’s lips, her name being uttered from them, before searching his eyes. Lips parted slightly and curled up in a sleepy smile. “Shane,” she answered, waiting for him to finish.

_ Yoba, help me! This was so much easier in my head!  _ he thought as the words lingered on the tip of his tongue, fighting with each breath that burned his lungs, “I...”  _ Fuck! This shouldn’t be so difficult. _ “Ashley, I love you,” Shane finally murmured.

Ashley’s eyes lit up, glistening at hearing the words she herself had wanted to say to him. “And I love you,” she replied, suddenly wide awake.

Shane held her close and kissed her sweetly as Ashley’s arms moved up around his neck. The evening melted around them as they embraced and they deepened their kiss, letting their tongues play before pulling back for a breath. Their makeout session was interrupted by a dinging from Shane’s pocket. He pulled out his phone while Ashley nestled her head against his shoulder. Apparently Marnie had sent him three texts and this last one was calling him home before she put supper away.

“I gotta go. Marnie’s going to be putting food away soon and I need to get Jas ready for bed,” Shane said regretfully. He slipped his phone in the back pocket of his jeans before hugging Ashley to him tightly. 

“Come over tomorrow night for dinner, Marnie and Jas, too. You can stay and watch a movie with me after they leave,” Ashley asked, suddenly desperate for any alone time they could get.

Shane kissed the backs of her hands before answering, “It’s a date. I’ll ask Marnie tonight and let you know.” He started to jog back to the ranch but turned around to call out, “Goodnight!” before he headed onward.

She giggled and replied with a wave, “Goodnight!” Watching him disappear, she felt giddy at their declaration. Was it too soon to say they loved each other? Probably, but it was true. Ashley had never felt this way about any of the guys she had dated, but most of them had been during her drinking days so they had all been garbage like she was. She could only remember one guy her junior year of high school that even came close but he ended up moving across the country the summer before their senior year and they never spoke again.

Besides, Ashley felt like she knew a lot about Shane already, having spent the better part of her six months trying to befriend him and all she had learned today. Underneath all the issues, he was just a lonely guy who was misunderstood by everyone, even his own family and Ashley was very similar. The more he opened up, the deeper the bond between them grew and she knew, without a doubt, that they were going to get married one day. Ashley did a half-spin and headed home, still on cloud nine.  _ I guess true love really does exist. _

By the time she made it up on the porch, her phone lit up with a call from Shane. Ashley smiled before answering, “Hey, handsome. What did Marnie say?”

Shane’s stomach jumped at the way she answered, making him smile, “Hey, Ash. Marnie has plans tomorrow night so I need to stay home with Jas. She asked if Saturday works?” He felt bad missing any time with Ashley but Marnie had been really helpful lately and she deserved a night off.

“Saturday night...” Ashley said, thinking.  _ I can make a few pies tomorrow, Marnie’s been promised one anyway. That’ll give you an extra day to practice making whipped topping… _ “Yeah, that’ll work. I was planning to cook pies all day but I’ll bake them tomorrow instead,” She answered, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

Shane must have heard it; there wasn’t much they could hide from each other at this point. As annoying as that might be to some people, Shane felt it took a load of pressure off, making it easier to talk to her. “Mmmm, pies. Maybe you can come hang out with Jas and me tomorrow night...and bring a pie?” he asked playfully, trying to cheer her up with his brilliant idea.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Ashley chuckled, “You can pick up a few pizzas and I’ll bring a pie, watch a kid’s movie with Jas as an excuse to cuddle up together and then...I dunno, play some video games after Jas goes to bed?” She was getting excited just thinking about it. 

Secretly, she liked kid’s movies. No one but Jarrod knew. They used to take her little sister, Keelie, to see the new animated movies ‘so her parents wouldn’t have to’. Jarrod would tag along to keep her company but he was just as excited about watching them.  _ Now you’re going to be watching them with Shane and Jas…your new family. _

Shane brought her out of memory lane, “That sounds perfect. Jas has been wanting to watch the new Incredibles movie. I think it’s the third one? Anyway, she has been talking non-stop about it since Vincent told her it was streaming.”

Ashley’s smile hurt her face. She loved those movies and had been looking for the third movie’s release. Now she had an excuse! “Then it’s a date! I’ll text you when I finish baking tomorrow, okay?” she replied.

“Sounds, good. See you tomorrow night,” Shane replied with a huge grin of his own. He enjoyed watching movies with Jas and now he was going to have both his favorite girls. Remembering one last thing, he said, “Love you.”

Ashley’s heart felt it was going to grow outside her chest. Twice tonight he’d said these words. “I love you, too. See you tomorrow.”  _ Oh, my Yoba. Please don’t let me ever lose this man.  _

\-----

Friday morning, Shane was up early to lift weights before work and grabbed a quick shower. He combed his hair and put on a bit of cologne before heading to the kitchen, whistling to himself.

“Goooood, morning!” Shane said happily as he kissed Jas on top of her head and gave Marnie a quick hug. 

It was quite the spectacle, causing Marnie and Jas to look at each other and shrug. “You’re in a good mood this morning, Shane,” Marnie said cautiously, almost afraid to think she may have interrupted something last night.

“I’m just happy. Can’t a guy be in a good mood?” Shane said in a playfully defensive tone before sitting down with a plate of eggs, bacon and toast.  _ I love Ashley, she loves me, and I’m going to ask her to marry me soon... _

Marnie chuckled, “Well, alright then.” She had never seen this side of Shane so it was a little off-putting but she was gonna roll with it. The boy was happy and that was important.

“Oh, Ashley said tomorrow night works for dinner,” Shane said between bites, “Also, she’s coming over tonight to watch Jas with me.” Jas did an air fist pump and said ‘yesss’ quietly, making Shane smile.

Marnie eyed him, “Just make sure you two are watching Jas and not each other.” Her tone was a little too suggestive for Shane. Any other time he would have been offended but not today.

“Calm down. We’re planning on pizza and pie with a movie Jas can watch,” Shane explained before looking at his god-daughter out of the corner of his eye, “I think it’s called...Incredibles 3.”

Jas perked up and dropped her fork on her plate, “Are you kidding me?” She jumped up and ran to him for a big hug. “You’re the best Uncle in the world. I love you forever, Uncle Shane!”

She let him go and hurried back to her breakfast, eating it with renewed enthusiasm, “I gotta tell Vincent! He’s not going to believe this...” Jas said while chewing, earning a reprimand from Aunt Marnie for talking with her mouth full of food.

Shane’s face hurt from smiling so much lately but he managed to finish his breakfast and hurried out the door for work. The sky was overcast and looking a little dark. He worried about the hurricane that was a few days offshore gaining momentum. Pulling his hood up and tucking his hands in his pockets, he hurried to work, intent on making it on time today. Morris wasn’t happy about letting him off yesterday, even if it was a medically excused absence. The employees were supposed to have twelve days of paid medical leave but they fought it tooth and nail when asked for those days off, not always paying them for it.

He hurried to the back to clock in and found Morris standing next to the computer. His arms were crossed and his beady little black eyes studied Shane as a smirk came across his face.

“Well, Mr. Rogers, I see you made it on time this morning,” Mr. Morris began, “It’s a good thing, too, because we are expecting the truck to come in this afternoon. You and Mr. Hooper will need to have it unloaded before you leave today.” 

Shane narrowed his eyes as he punched in, “The truck isn’t supposed to be here until Sunday.” 

Mr. Morris’s smirk became a sneer, “You may not know this but a hurricane is brewing and we need to be stocked for the customers...today. They’ll be needing supplies and we’ll have them or you will be out of a job, understand?”

He wanted to punch Mr. Morris square in the nose, to argue that he had plans tonight but he didn’t. It would only make things worse and, believe me, it could get worse…

“Yes, sir,” Shane replied and hurried to stock the shelves to make room in the back for the shipment coming in. 

Sam came in with his headphones around his neck, air-drumming to whatever song was playing. It had always annoyed the piss out of Shane with how little Sam seemed to get done while still having a sunny disposition. Today, seeing him take his time when he had plans with his girlfriend tonight, infuriated Shane to the point he had to engage.

“Sam! Clock in, already. Morris said the truck’s coming in today and we have it unload it before we can leave tonight,” Shane hissed, making Sam stop in his tracks as his face dropped.

“Seriously? But it’s Friday night! Truck’s not supposed to be here til Sunday,” Sam whined.

Shane was losing his shit, “Then clock in already! You’re not the only one with plans tonight.” With that, he turned heel and got back to restocking shelves. 

He was happy to see Sam picking up his pace today, helping stock and breaking down boxes. By four o’clock, they had cleared out the back just as the truck pulled in. Shane’s back was stiff and he wiped the sweat from his brow with a clean cloth, having soaked the last one. He and Sam took a quick five-minute water break while the driver backed the truck up to the bay. 

“So, what plans do you have tonight?” Sam asked, just making conversation.

Shane took a big swig of water and smiled, “I’ve got a dinner and movie date with two beautiful girls.”

Sam spewed water and laughed, “Yeah, right.” He continued smiling but Shane looked serious. “No way, I knew it! You and that cute farmer ARE dating.” Sam smiled and shook his head before finishing his water bottle. The plastic crunched as Sam smashed it and tossed it in the trash.

Shane’s face blushed a little at Sam referring to his girlfriend as ‘cute’. “Back off, but, yeah. We are dating. She’s coming over to help me watch Jas while Marnie goes out tonight.” He stood up and walked over to the bay, not wanting to divulge anymore. It was none of Sam’s business anyway, but it was nice to have a normal conversation for once.

Jumping into the back of the truck, they unloaded one box, sometimes two boxes at a time. Sam used the only pair of hand trucks for the heavier or oddly-shaped boxes but every muscle in Shane’s body screamed at the exertion. By the time they finished and clocked out, it was nearly six o’clock.

Shane grabbed his phone and dialed the Saloon to order pizzas before texting Marnie he was on his way. Ashley had also texted him at five to say she was finished baking pies.  _ Fuck. I hate Morris, I hate working for Joja but what else is there? _ His fingers worked quickly to message Ashley while he walked toward the pub when Marnie called.

“Hey, Shane. I’m heading out. Ashley just got here to watch Jas so don’t worry about rushing home,” Marnie said happily.

Sighing with relief, Shane replied, “Thanks, Marnie. Please tell her I’m getting pizzas now. I’ll see you later tonight. Be safe.”

“Alright. You, too, honey,” Marnie said before hanging up.

Shane opened the door to the Saloon as Gus came around with the pizzas. “Hey, Shane! Here ya go! Hot out of the oven,” he exclaimed happily as he placed them on the counter next to the register.

Shane fished the cash out of his uniform pants, “Thanks, Gus.” Then he scooped the pizzas up and headed out. Between his aching muscles and the wind picking up, it was difficult to keep the boxes from catching the wind but Shane fought to get them to the ranch in one piece.

Ashley and Jas must have been watching at the windows because he heard muffled speech just before the door opened for him. 

“Welcome home, honey!” Ashley chimed jokingly as she struck a pose. Her left arm, bent at the elbow, was beckoning him inside while her right leg was bent at the knee and kicked out behind her. Jas was doing her best to mimic her pose. 

Shane took one look at the two and chuckled. “You two just made my day,” he said stepping inside to kiss Ashley on the lips before leaning down to plant a sweet little kiss on his niece’s cheek. He grunted in complaint at the pain in his back.

Ashley took one look at Shane and realized how tired he was. “Let me take these to the kitchen while you change into something more comfortable,” she said as she relieved Shane of the pizzas, “Jas, you wash up. Get the paper plates and napkins, okay?”

Jas nodded curtly and went off. Ashley started behind her but Shane stopped her a moment, “Thank you, Ashley. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know?” He didn’t want to ever take her for granted and thought he should tell her that as often as he could.

She kissed his cheek, “I know, my love. Now, go get cleaned up so we can eat.” Shane nodded and Ashley watched how slowly he moved, taking small, deliberate steps toward his bedroom.

He came out twenty minutes later, freshly washed and smelling oh, so nice. Shane had loosened up a bit and Ashley was looking forward to cuddling up to him on the couch later. He came up to Ashley and kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back as he sat down next to her. The way she smiled up at him made his heart skip a beat and the stress of the day seemed to slowly melt away.

“I’m starved,” Shane said as he lifted two slices and put them on his plate. “Morris had the supply truck come in this afternoon instead of Sunday so I worked through lunch,” he explained while shaking on some parmesan cheese and pepper flakes then devoured a slice in four bites with an ‘mmmmm’.

Ashley smiled and looked at Jas. The little girl smiled back and they shook their heads playfully before getting their own slices. There wasn’t much conversation since Ashley wanted Shane to be able to eat in peace. It sounded like he’d had a tough day. “Well, miss Jas, do you want pie now or while we watch the movie?” 

Jas’s eyes got big. She was never allowed to eat on the couch, only the dining table. “While we watch the movie, please,” She giggled and looked at her Uncle Shane for approval.

Shane started to correct her but decided against it and nodded in agreement. The sooner they started the movie, the sooner he could cuddle up with Ashley. “On one condition: Don’t tell Aunt Marnie!” Jas shook her head and crossed her heart.

Ashley, having realized the mistake she had just made, suddenly got quiet. She stood at the kitchen counter silently slicing pieces of pie when she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist from behind. 

“Hey, you alright?” Shane asked as he rested his chin on Ashley's shoulder, watching her work.

“I’ll be okay. It’s just... I feel like I overstepped,” Ashley said as she put the knife down. “I didn’t think about there being a rule against eating on the couch. I should have asked…”

Shane hugged her tight. “You didn’t know and it’s not a big deal, Ash,” he reassured her, planting light kisses on her neck, “It’s not like you’re letting her eat chocolate right before bed so she gets it in her hair, needing another bath or starting a fire in the bedroom because your parents left the matches out and wanted to build a campfire because they’re fun.”

Ashley craned her neck to look at him, “Those things sound oddly specific.” 

He stole a kiss before turning her around to look her in the eye, “It’s because I have done those things...Well, I gave Jas the chocolate but it was a nine-year old me that built a campfire in the middle of my bedroom floor. The point is, don’t sweat the small stuff. With this parenting stuff, it’s a learn-as-you-go-along deal.”  _ Yoba, I’m talking parenting advice with her now...  _

Ashley had to smile. “What did I do to deserve you?” she asked, turning the tables on him. 

Maybe it was the talk about being parents together or maybe it was her question but Shane couldn’t help himself. He kissed her softly, then more intimately until he felt they were going to melt into each other. The sound of a tiny throat clearing and the tapping of a little shoe brought them back down and they broke to find an impatient little girl waiting on her promised pie and movie.

She rolled her eyes comically in a way only Shane can, “Will you two get a room already? I need my pie and movie, please.” 

They laughed and Shane kissed Ashley on the tip of the nose before letting her go. “Yes, Princess! Right away!” he joked and carefully gave her the plate and fork. 

Following behind, they made their way into the living room where Jas insisted on sitting in between them because she wanted to sit by both. After a moment’s discussion, the princess got her way, wiggling her toes as she snuggled between the two. 

Shane pulled the movie up and couldn’t help but notice the excitement in Ashley’s eyes matched the look in Jas’s eyes. “Are you sure this is the movie you want to watch?” he teased, hiding his smile.

Jas kicked her feet happily, “Yes!! If I don’t get to watch this movie, I'm gonna die…” She put her head down on her shoulder and stuck her tongue out, making a silly ‘ack’ sound.

There was a playful twinkle in Shane’s eye when he looked to Ashley, “And you...Ashley?”

She tried to play it off the best she could, shrugging nonchalantly, “Yeah, it’s cool. Whatever makes Jas happy.” Her smile betrayed her, she was sure of it by the way his mouth twisted in a smile. “Just...start the movie, please? Jas is gonna DIE if we don’t.”

They sat and ate their pie with a happy Jas between them, stopping for a bathroom break about fifteen minutes in. Ashley took a moment to hide any and all evidence of having eaten pie in the living room while Shane put the rest of food away. 

Miss Jas bounded into the living room and took her spot on the middle of the couch. Ashley could see the aggravation on Shane’s face at being thwarted again by a six-year old but settled on a compromise. Jas could sit in Shane’s lap so Ashley could cuddle up underneath his arm but only if Jas was allowed to put her feet in Miss Ashley’s lap, too. With everyone in agreement and settled on the couch, Shane turned the movie back on.

This lasted a whole five minutes, when it took twice as long to reach the agreement in the first place, before Jas wanted to lay on the floor. They shuffled around with Shane at the end of the couch so Ashley could lean against him and Jas on her tummy in front of the television.

By the time Marnie made it home, they had just shut Jas’s door after a short story time. “Well, you guys pulled a late night by the looks of it,” Marnie said quietly. 

“She’s quite the little ball of spunk, that one. But we had a blast,” Ashley replied lovingly.

Shane stood with his arm around Ashley’s shoulder and nodded in agreement, “In fact, we had so much fun, Jas wants to do it again next Friday.” 

Marnie was still amazed at the difference one person had made in her nephew’s life, “That’s great! I’m glad you all had fun. Now, I’m off to bed. It’s been a long day and my bones are tired. Goodnight, you two.” She gave them a quick hug and headed off. 

“So, walk you home?” Shane offered, even though he was about to fall over. His quiet night of snuggling didn’t go quite as planned and the movie took up more time than he thought with their late start.

Ashley gave him a peck on the cheek, “I won’t make you. You’ve been groaning all night in pain. Your poor muscles need rest.” 

Shane shook his head. “Nonsense. I have just enough energy to walk you...halfway home,” he joked, opening the door for her. 

They walked hand-in-hand until Ashley stopped halfway, “Here’s where we have our amazing goodnight kisses and then you go home to rest.” 

She gently grabbed his shirt to bring him closer. He still smelled so damn nice and stood taller than usual, hinting at his changing physique. She found herself wondering just how much he’s been working out lately... _ Damn, girl. Slow your raging hormones. You’ll be together soon enough. _

She put her arms around his neck as he slipped his around her waist and they continued their intimate kiss from earlier. Shane wanted to be with her so badly he ached, that being the only muscle unworked today he considered it. He felt Ashley shudder as she pressed herself into him and he smiled with their kiss. “Can’t you see what you do to me? I want to be with you so badly, Ashley. All the time,” he murmured into her open mouth as she gasped for air.

“You are so hot, you drive me crazy…” Ashley breathed in reply, kissing his chin. She couldn’t stand it any longer, they needed to be together but not tonight. Shane needed to rest. “Tomorrow night. Stay with me,” she told him, looking into his eyes that burned with a fierce wanting that mirrored her own. 

Shane nodded quickly, “Tomorrow night.” He kissed her deeply, feeling around her teeth with his tongue. 

He picked Ashley up to straddle him and instantly regretted it. His muscles had dulled with all the adrenaline pumping through him but as soon as Shane lifted her up, he nearly slammed Ashley down on the ground in a poorly executed powerbomb when they gave out. Had she not been quick enough to put her legs down, it would have been disastrous. Still, she ended up on the ground with Shane on top of her. 

He looked at her with wide eyes and was about to ask her if she was okay when she let out a melodious laugh that made his neck weak. Shane dropped his head lightly onto her chest as she chuckled and felt himself join in. 

When he finally looked up at her again, Ashley was smiling and brushed the hair out of his eyes. “A preview of tomorrow night?” she teased with a giggle.

“You are diabolical, my beautiful succubus,” Shane replied and shook his head. He couldn’t help but smile.  _ Yoba, I love this woman so fucking much it hurts...but in a good way. How is this possible? _

With the last bit of energy Shane had saved to walk home, he pulled himself up to his knees so Ashley could stand up. After she helped him to his feet, Shane hugged her, more for extra support and so he could rest a moment. Shane knew if he closed his eyes right now, he’d fall asleep in a flash.

Ashley whispered in his ear, “Need me to walk YOU home now?” She started giggling again.

Shane wasn’t ready to try just yet but chuckled, “You are too much. No, I can make it home. I’m glad tomorrow is Saturday ‘cause I’m sleeping ‘til noon.” With that, he stepped back to hold her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissed her knuckles lightly, “I love you.”

Ashley smiled back and replied sweetly, “I love you, too, Shane. Sleep well tonight.” 

Shane nodded and headed off as Ashley watched to make sure he didn’t fall over.  _ Thank you, Yoba, for helping us find each other.  _


	9. *Red Light Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Ashley and Shane’s fast-moving relationship be detrimental to Jas in the long run?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brown chicken, brown cow...

Ashley brushed her teeth and dotted her chest with a little perfume before hearing a soft knock on the front door. “Come on it! It’s open!” she called out before running the brush through her hair a few times. She heard the door open and shut just before she stepped out of her bedroom with a smile.

Shane stood just inside the door with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and looked up when he heard her enter. He wasn’t smiling until he saw Ashley’s smile, then his face lit up. “Hey, Ash. I missed you today,” he said bashfully as he sauntered over to meet her.

Ashley put her arms through his to hug him around the waist loosely. “I missed you, too,” she said quietly before kissing his cheek and resting her head on his shoulder to snuggle him. “Where are Marnie and Jas?”

Shane took his hands out of his pockets to wrap them around Ashley. He rocked her gently and buried his head in her neck. “They’re coming,” he mumbled into her hair, “I came ahead to see if you needed help.”

Ashley pulled back to look him in the eyes, “You are the best boyfriend.” She ran her fingers through his hair and cupped his face. “I love you,” Ashley added with a smile.

“I don’t deserve you,” Shane murmured as he leaned in for a kiss. He was tender and refrained from making it more intimate like he wanted. The thought of getting to be with her tonight, her bare skin against his made him pull back and rest his forehead on hers. “I really love you, Ashley and I never thought it was possible for anyone to love me back the way you do.” He had to pull her back into a hug, he couldn’t wait to spend the night with her. Furthermore, Shane never wanted to leave her side as long as he lived and breathed.

“Shane?” Ashley softly called his name, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Are you okay?” Her neck felt wet where his head rested and she wondered if he had been crying.

He nodded his head, “Yeah. Just thinking through some stuff.” Shane sniffled a little and pulled back to smile at her. He ran his fingers down her cheek and stole a quick kiss before taking off his hoodie and throwing it on the couch. He ran his hand quickly through his messy hair and walked over to the sink to wash up, “What can I help with?”

Ashley followed behind him, admiring his backside since it was usually covered by his hoodie. “Well, I’ve already made the sauce, got the water for the pasta going and the meatballs are nearly done. We just need to drop the spaghetti when the water boils and put the rolls in the oven when the meatballs come out. And set the table.” 

Shane nodded. “Easy enough, though I have never cooked anything before,” he admitted bashfully.

She just smiled, “I’ll teach you the basics. Believe me, it comes to you quickly if you have the disposition. I was a microwave chef back in the city.” Ashley winked at him, knowing he was a connoisseur of microwave cuisine himself.

Later, while they were waiting on the rolls to come out, Shane set the table. “Say, do you have any more pumpkin pie? Marnie wouldn’t share after dinner and it smelled so good,” he asked, chuckling.

Ashley smiled and kissed his cheek, “Actually, I made two more pies this afternoon, knowing my boyfriend has become such a big fan.” 

“You’re just too good, you know?” Shane gushed, kissing her forehead before they heard Jas’s tiny footsteps stomping on the steps with Marnie’s steps just behind. “I’ll get it,” he offered, rushing to open the door.

Jas rushed inside to the kitchen where Ashley was pulling the rolls out. “Smells great, Miss Ashley!” she said sweetly as she stood waiting. 

When Ashley turned around, she took a few steps toward Jas before going down on a knee. She hugged the sweet girl, “I’m so glad to have you guys over!” She stood up and looked down lovingly at Jas, “I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs.” 

Jas squealed, jumping up and down, “That’s my favorite! How did you know?” She gave Ashley a cute side-eye that made her giggle.

“Well, your Uncle Shane told me the other day. Plus, I don’t know how to cook much else,” Ashley admitted with an embarrassed smile.

Marnie put a large wooden bowl on the counter and gave Ashley a hug. “Well, Chickadee, for someone who doesn’t cook much it sure does smell good. I can look through my recipes and send you a few if you’d like,” she offered with a smile. 

“That would be awesome, thanks! I’m hoping to learn more complicated things like pepper poppers now that I have pie crusts down,” Ashley said happily, throwing a smile toward Shane, whose face lit up.

Giving the breakfast nook to Marnie and Jas, Shane and Ashley took their seats at the kitchen island, Ashley would need to speak to Robin soon about an upgrade if family dinners were going to be a regular thing here. Other than the cramped space, dinner went well with Jas eating her weight in meatballs. _She’s definitely Shane’s god-daughter,_ Ashley thought to herself. Afterwards, Shane helped Ashley clean up the food and dishes while Jas played with Buttons and Marnie talked about the recipes she was going to look for tomorrow.

Jas asked about dessert so Shane washed his hands and got a knife to cut everyone slices of pumpkin pie while Ashley got the plates, forks and a spoon. She went to the fridge and took out a metal bowl, setting it down on the countertop next to Shane. 

“What’s that?” he asked curiously before licking a bit of pie filling off his finger and leaning down for a better look.

She smiled proudly, “This is my homemade whipped cream. It’s the best batch I’ve made so far,” Ashley said with a twinkle in her eye, “Want some on your pumpkin pie?” She took the spoon and scooped a neat helping out and onto a slice. 

Shane took his finger, dipped it into the dollop and sucked it off with an ‘mmmm’, “Put another scoop on there and I’ll take this one.” He kissed Ashley on the cheek before rinsing his hands while she scooped out more topping for the rest of the slices.

Jas and Marnie let out ‘ooh’s’ when they saw the whipped topping on their slices of pie. “Oh, my little Chickadee! You sure are full of surprises. I can’t wait to try it,” Marnie said as she licked her lips. 

They all licked their plates clean and sat back happily to let their dessert settle. Ashley looked at Marnie and asked, “Did you bring Jas’s bedtime book?”

“Sure did,” Marnie replied before getting up, going over to her bag and pulling out her favorite storybook. “She’s ready when you are.”

Ashley called Jas over for story time and she immediately snuggled up next to her on the couch. It really warmed her heart that this sweet girl had taken to her so fast. “Ready for your bedtime story, Jas?”

“Where’s Uncle Shane?” Jas asked just as he rounded the couch to cuddle up with them. He sat down beside Jas and put his arm around them both, smiling at Jas before smiling at Ashley. “Now you can read, Miss Ashley,” Jas said sweetly as she rested her head in the crook of her arm.

Marnie sat across from them at the fireplace and snapped a picture while they were focused on the book. She thought it was the sweetest thing she had ever seen and figured it would make a great framed photo for her wall. 

After storytime was over, Jas hugged Ashley and thanked her for the story before hugging Shane tightly around the neck, not wanting to leave him. He held her as Marnie said her goodbyes to Ashley. When they were done, Shane walked over to the door to hand Jas over but she pretended to be asleep.

“Come on Jazzy Bear. You have to go home with Aunt Marnie,” Shane coaxed, rubbing her back gently.

Jas shook her head, “I want you to come home.” Her arms tightened around Shane’s neck, making him cough. 

“Jas, honey, Miss Ashley and I are gonna watch a grown-up movie. You need to get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning,” Shane explained with a firmness in his voice that indicated he wasn’t going to discuss it any further.

She didn’t reply but nodded slowly and let Marnie take her from him. “Goodnight, you two,” Marnie said as she went out the door with Jas burying her face in her shoulder.

Shane stood with Ashley at the door to wave goodbye. As soon as they were out of view, he pulled the door shut and locked it. Ashley’s back was against it when he leaned down and kissed her gently. “I finally have you all to myself,” he said before kissing her more urgently. 

Ashley moaned happily, “Slow down, lover boy. There’s plenty of time for that later. We have a movie to watch first. Don’t make this a cheap date.” She teased him by biting his bottom lip before slipping out of his grasp to sit on the couch.

Shane threw his head back in exasperation, “You are such a tease!” Even though he was complaining, there was a big smile on his face. “What are we watching tonight, anyway,” he asked after plopping down on the couch next to her. He sat down sideways, kicking his feet up and beckoned Ashley to lay next to him.

She smiled and crawled up to cuddle in front of him, “What kind of movies are you into? I like science fiction and horror best but anything with action is good.” 

Shane asked for the remote and flipped around a moment before settling on a scary movie he had been wanting to watch. “How about this one? I like action movies best but horror movies are alright,” he asked before kissing the back of her head.

“Ooooh, yeah! They must have just added it! It wasn’t on here last week,” Ashley squealed and snuggled into him as Shane started the movie. 

It was nice to just be with each other and watch a movie together. Shane had missed the simplicity of doing little things like this and hugged his girlfriend closer, kissing the back of her head again. After the movie was over, they talked about what made it so great and the things they hated, laughing at the similarities and playfully arguing other points. 

“Overall it was good. I hope they make a sequel,” Ashley said finally, standing up to stretch. 

Shane watched her stretch and saw her belly button peek out from underneath her shirt. He couldn’t help but poke it, grinning triumphantly as he got the giggle from Ashley he was looking for. Before she could smack him, he jumped up off the couch out of dodge, dancing around the table. “Wait, wait, wait! You wouldn’t hurt your poor, injured boyfriend, would you?” he yelled playfully, feigning a pain in his back from yesterday. 

Ashley wagged her finger at him as she placed her other hand over her stomach, protecting her belly button. “I’ll let you get away with it this time,” she replied as she walked over to him, kissing him sweetly. 

Shane intensified their kiss and, as their embrace deepened, Ashley wrapped her arms around his waist, rested one hand on his backside and gave it a squeeze. He gasped and picked her up to straddle him as her arms went up to wrap around his neck, weaving her fingers in his hair. They kissed feverishly as Shane carried her toward the bedroom and made his way to her bed. With a grunt of effort, Shane lowered Ashley to the floor. He was so hard right now, he had to remove his jeans immediately or would be rubbed raw. As he unzipped his pants Ashley was removing her own and they kicked them to the side. Shane went to remove Ashley’s shirt when he remembered they needed the condom in his wallet that was still in the pocket of his jeans. He couldn’t stop at just holding the hem of her shirt so he slowly pulled it overhead, her perfect breasts gave a firm bounce. He stopped once it was just past her lips, arms straight up, and teased her with a kiss before pulling it the rest of the way off. 

Ashley came up to continue their kiss when he held his finger up to her lips. “I need to get the condom out of my pants,” Shane told her before kissing her nose and turning to search for his wallet. He was crouched there on the ground when he finally found it and pulled out the condom Marnie had put in their basket. The thought still weirded him out but, hey, it came in handy tonight.

When Shane turned around to stand, his eyes fell on the underwear and bra lying on the floor next to Ashley’s feet. He swallowed and followed her legs upwards to where her hands were covering her private parts. Her body was curvy with full hips and full, firm breasts; all over her body were nicely toned muscles from working on the farm by herself for so many months. Ashley looked at Shane nervously until he stood. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he heard himself whisper as he moved to her and traced the curves of her body with a finger. Ashley relaxed enough to lower her arms so Shane cupped a breast and ran his thumb over the nipple. She gasped lightly and felt her skin prickle all over as a warm, wetness gathered in her nethers.

Shane put his hands on her ribs and leaned in to kiss her breasts but Ashley stopped him. “Your turn,” she said quietly, trembling at his touch.

Reaching for the hem of Shane’s shirt, he went to stop her but she looked him in the eyes, reassuring him, “You don’t ever have to be ashamed around me either, Shane.” She kissed his lips then raised the hem of his shirt overhead, only breaking eye contact when the shirt moved past his eyes. 

When Ashley looked down at his body, there were old cuts that had healed and left scars and underneath those were the beginnings of muscles. She could tell he had been working out for weeks now by how swollen his biceps were. Yesterday had been more than a workout apparently. The sparse patch of dark hair on his chest went down the center, all the way past his belly button. Ashley placed her hands on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist hugging her to him. 

The skin-to-skin contact was so overwhelming that Shane began to shake. “It’s been a long while. I don’t know how long I can last,” he told her.

“It’s been a while for me, too. I’ll be fast,” Ashley replied. _If Shane were to touch me right now I’d go._ She leaned back to kiss his chest while he slipped his underwear off. 

Ashley pulled the covers back to lay down on her back, “Are you ready?”

Shane nodded, then slipped the condom on before positioning himself between her open legs and stared into her eyes. Ashley smiled up at him before biting her bottom lip. Her hands slid up his chest around his neck as he lowered to kiss her, entering as he did. She was so warm and wet he slipped in easily, both let out low moans as he worked in and out. He tried to take his time but every thrust brought him closer to letting go.

Ashley was breathing hard and reached up to hold Shane so close, he had to go down to a forearm. He wasn’t there long before she started panting fast and climaxed, arching her back just enough for him to wrap his arm around her waist. He pumped his hips faster and orgasmed so hard his eyes went wide and he moaned loudly, body shuddering before collapsing on the bed next to her. 

“Yoba, you felt so good,” Shane said as he panted heavily, rolling to face Ashley. Her face and neck had flushed a pretty shade of pink and she smiled back at him satisfied. He traced her face with his finger, “I’m just sorry it was over so quick.”

Ashley leaned close, “You were amazing. In fact, I’ve never orgasmed so hard before.” She kissed him and draped her arm across his waist to hold him closer. “We’ll go longer next time,” she added with a grin and rubbed noses with him before kissing the tip of his nose. 

Shane sighed happily and squeezed her, “I love you so much, Ashley.” _Please don’t ever leave me._

Ashley kissed his neck and shoulder before sighing happily, too, “My beautiful Shane, I love you, too.” When he shifted to lay his head between her breasts, Ashley combed through his hair with one hand and rubbed his back soothingly with the other. As they lay there naked and at peace, skin against skin, Ashley thought about their future. She couldn’t see herself with anyone else and every time she thought about where her life was going, Shane was always in the equation. Not so surprisingly, Jas was always part of it, too. _When we do get married, she’ll need a bedroom of her own._

Shane’s anxiety from earlier had been melted away by the feeling of Ashley’s skin against his and he felt he could be more candid as he lay here in his most vulnerable state. And, as if he could hear her thoughts, Shane asked quietly, “Ashley, have you thought about us being together? You know, forever?” He listened to her heartbeat skip a beat at the question and smiled just before she answered.

“Yes,” she responded simply, her smile reflecting all the happiness she felt inside and out at this very moment. 

Ashley’s life was almost perfect for the first time ever but she found herself worrying about Jas tonight. The way Jas acted when she had to leave Shane concerned Ashley. The last thing she wanted was for Jas to associate her with bad memories. _Will our fast-moving relationship be detrimental to Jas in the long run?_ She really hoped not. 

\-----

Saturday morning Shane awoke to the sound of chickens clucking and Ashley’s arm draped across his waist with her hand on his chest. She felt warm pressed up against his back. _I could get used to this,_ he thought. Remembering everything about the previous night Shane smiled and thanked Yoba for something in his fucked up mess of a life that finally made sense. He lifted Ashley’s hand to his lips and lightly kissed her fingers, leaving them there for a moment and closed his eyes again.

She snuggled closer making a little noise just before waking. “Good morning,” she murmured sleepily before kissing his back and squeezing him tight. 

Shane reached around behind him to lay his hand on Ashley’s thigh and rubbed it, “Mornin’.” They lay like that for a moment until her alarm went off. 

“Ugh, I meant to turn that off. Not that it matters since we’re already awake,” Ashley said and let out a big yawn. She rolled to turn it off and got caught in a good stretch but Shane took advantage, climbing on top to pin her down for kisses, their lips smacking noisily.

“Mmm, waking up like this is going to spoil me,” Shane said, releasing Ashley’s arms to prop up so he could look at her properly. Her sleepy, bright brown eyes sparkled at him and couldn’t help but lean down to kiss her red lips again as they curled up in a half-smile. When Shane lifted up, his heart hurt in his chest. _How can I love this woman so much? I want to propose but I need a ring, don’t I?_ He decided to look for one at therapy next week, before they went to dinner at the Panitelli’s.

“I wish we could wake up like this every day,” Ashley teased with a smile and ran her fingers through Shane’s hair so she could see all of his face. His green eyes were bright this morning, wide awake and she could tell he was deep in thought. 

Shane felt himself hardening with Ashley’s words and gave a low growl, “I want you so bad right now.” 

Ashley bit her lip in frustration, wanting Shane just as badly, “I want you, too, but we should have thought about that before waking up like this.” Her eyebrows went up and she looked into his eyes. 

_Her eyes are like milk chocolate,_ Shane thought before groaning and gave her a kiss, “I’ll buy a box from the clinic tomorrow.” Then he rolled off her and out of bed standing tall so she could see his tented boxers properly. Shane grinned at her hungrily.

Ashley giggled and bit her lip, slipping out of bed to walk over to him. She played with the elastic of his shorts before grasping him gently. “I can help you with that in the shower, if you like?” she teased. 

Without a word, Shane led her by hand to the bathroom where they flung their pajamas and underwear off. Ashley started the shower as Shane worked her with his fingers from behind. She ran one hand behind his neck and the other reached around to hold him. The hot water ran down their naked bodies as Ashley started panting faster until she came, moaning loudly before turning to face Shane. He kissed her intimately as she worked him, gliding her thumb against the head until he had to put a hand up on the wall to steady himself. He went hard, spilling out all over her stomach as he guided her hand. 

“Fuck me,” Shane said quietly as he rested his head on the shower tile next to Ashley, struggling to stand.

She smiled seductively at him. “We’ll do that next time,” she teased, reaching for a bar of soap to wash her body.

When Shane lifted his head to look at her, the pain in his chest was unbearable. _This girl is perfect..._ “Marry me, Ashley,” he was thinking the words but they came out his mouth at the same time. 

Ashley’s mouth came open in surprise. _Is this really happening right now? In my shower?!_ “What?” she found herself asking, making sure she heard him correctly.

Shane looked at her with his intense green eyes and took her hands in his. The water from the shower beat against his back, spraying her with a mist. “Marry me,” he asked again. He was dead serious.

Ashley ran her fingers through Shane’s wet hair so she could see all of his face, “Yes.” She leaned to meet his lips and he kissed her sweetly while they held each other, their naked bodies melting into one. Even the cold water from the shower couldn’t cool the passion in that kiss.

They had washed the best they could in the freezing water but Ashley’s hair was a mess. She usually conditioned because, as long as it was, there was no brushing the tangles out otherwise. But there wasn’t time for that. Shane did the best he could to help to sort it into three columns so they could braid it but to no avail. They ended up swirling it into a messy bun on top of her head until she could properly care for it.

“I just need to cut it. It’s an unruly mess and I don’t know why I still let it grow out,” Ashley said over breakfast. 

Shane liked her long hair but he wasn’t the one to have to care for it, “If you want to cut it you should. Just not too short... please.” 

Ashley had a thought. If Shane didn’t want it too short and she was ready to cut it off… “Would you cut it for me?” she asked.

“I dunno. Don’t you need to go to school for something like that?” Shane replied uneasily. 

She smiled, “Usually, but, this would be a straight across thing. Just think of it like cutting paper. And you don’t have to cut a lot, just four inches?” She watched him think about it for a moment before he nodded his head. 

“Alright, but I’m taking you to have it cut for real next week. I’ll trim it after we finish tending the garden if you call the salon to make an appointment for after I see Dr. Burke,” Shane settled with a grin.

“Deal,” Ashley agreed, finishing her breakfast and cleaned up.

After checking the mail to find a cryptic letter from Mayor Lewis about Mermaid Pendants and marriage traditions, they worked the morning with Ashley showing Shane her duties around the farm. He was very attentive and picked it up really quick. With the two of them at it, they were finished well before noon. 

“I’m impressed!” Ashley told Shane as he helped her put away the tools.

He smiled back, pleased with himself, “I’ve always been a fast learner.” _This is so much better than working at fucking Joja Mart and soon I’ll get to do this with Ash every day, all day..._

“Well, we had better get you back to the ranch. You promised a certain little princess you would see her in the morning,” Ashley reminded him, “And morning is nearly over.” 

Shane pulled her in for a quick kiss, “You keep me in line. I like a strong girl that knows what she wants.” He patted her on the backside playfully before holding her hand, “Let’s go, then.” 

The walk was nice after working together. Ashley enjoyed having Shane help her on the farm and looked forward to doing it everyday. “When are we going to tell everyone?” she asked suddenly.

“About your hair? I think they’ll notice without us saying anything,” Shane said with a half-smile until Ashley poked him in the ribs and made him chuckle. “Aright! We should at least wait until I have you a ring or that Mermaid Pendant. Which do you prefer?”

“Well, if we’re going to live here in Pelican Town for the rest of our lives, we should honor the traditions. Lewis said everyone would know what it means so I prefer the pendant,” Ashley replied with a smile. This place was quickly becoming the only place she ever wanted to live again and realized why her grandpa moved out here in the first place.

Shane looked at her as they walked. He hadn’t really thought about it but the idea of staying in Pelican Town forever, helping Ashley with the farm and watching their kids run around sounded like something you’d see in the movies. For most people it was unattainable but for Shane and Ashley, that was a different matter.

As soon as Jas heard the ranch door open, she was up and ran straight to Shane, jumping up in his arms and hugging him tightly. 

Ashley smiled, “Uncle Shane is back this morning in one piece, as promised, princess Jas.” 

She looked at Ashley bashfully. “But he missed breakfast and that’s the most important meal of the day,” she whined pitifully.

“Oh, Jazzy Bear! Miss Ashley fed me breakfast, don’t you worry. She takes good care of me,” Shane smiled at Ashley as he hugged his niece, rocking her gently like a baby before she wanted down. 

“Okay. Can we ride bikes then? I already ate a big breakfast and Aunt Marnie said I should go play outside. Can we, please?” Jas asked excitedly, giving them her pouty big eyes again.

Shane groaned loudly, “Okay, but after I cut Miss Ashley’s hair. I promised her first, Jas. Then we’ll ride bikes.” 

Jas smiled at the thought of Uncle Shane getting to cut Miss Ashley’s hair and ran to the kitchen, announcing it to Marnie.

Ashley had almost forgotten about their deal but when she started thinking about it, her head started hurting from the weight of her bun. “Let’s do this,” she said, taking her hair down and letting it flow freely...in the tangled and knotted mess it was.

Jas returned a moment later with Marnie right behind her with scissors. “Are you sure about this?” she chuckled at Ashley as she handed the scissors to Shane.

“Yup. It’s been unruly for too long but this morning is the last straw,” Ashley replied, her cheeks blushing slightly at remembering this morning.

Shane combed her hair best he could and took his time trying to figure out where to cut. _Four inches,_ he reminded himself, using his hand to measure from the top of his middle finger to right before his wrist. With a deep breath, Shane made an invisible line and started to cut. Jas stood behind him to watch with Marnie, her little hands shot up to her mouth to stifle a giggle. 

When it was done, he stood back to look at his cut and groaned. It was longer on the right than it was on the left. “Ashley, it’s crooked,” Shane said, embarrassed. He watched her freed locks dance around the ground as the wind blew them toward the river. “This was a bad idea…” he added.

Ashley turned to him, feeling a lot lighter already. “Just go back across and get it as close as you can. I know you can do it,” she encouraged warmly before giving Shane a smile and turned back around.

His second pass was much straighter. “Better,” he said, handing the scissors back to Marnie. 

Ashley parted her hair, brought it around both her shoulders to see it was pretty darn even. The biggest change was the tangled split ends were gone so her hair was smooth. “It feels better, too. Thank you, Shane,” she smiled and kissed his cheek.

Jas squealed and danced around Ashley playfully, gently pulling at her hair, “It’s soft. Uncle Shane did a good job! Now let's ride bikes!”

Later that afternoon, after Ashley went home, Shane asked Marnie about the strange letter Ashley had gotten this morning. It seemed a coincidence that she should receive it the exact morning he asked her to be his wife. 

“Well, Lewis, like everyone else in town by now, knows about you two. Did he not send you a letter?” Marnie asked but Shane shook his head.

“No. Must have overlooked it,” he replied darkly. “Where do you find a Mermaid Pendant anyway?”

Marnie eyed him a moment before answering, “Why? Are you in a hurry or something?”

Shane was getting frustrated. He knew they were moving fast but why should they wait on everyone else to say when it was appropriate to get married? They loved each other and he wasn’t getting any younger. What if Ashley wants kids? He was ready to give her as many babies as she wanted but, again, time was not on his side. “I just need to know. Look, I’ve never met anyone like Ashley and I know I never will again. She makes me want to be better, not just for her but for Jas, too. For Yoba’s sake, Marnie, the girl saved my life. She knows what a fucking mess I am and still loves me,” he explained a little more defensively than intended but Marnie didn’t seem to be offended.

Instead of being upset, she smiled warmly, “I’m just happy you finally found someone that loves you as much as you love them. You know the old tide pools out by Elliott’s cabin? There’s an old man that sells them but only on rainy days. It’s expensive but it’s tradition.”

 _It may be tradition but how expensive is this amulet anyway?_ Shane thought later as he looked through his closet for the firesafe where he kept his money. Hopefully he would have enough... _Ashley is worth it._


	10. Hurricane of the Century

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the hurricane hitting the coastal town with a vengeance, Ashley worries that the farm won’t survive but Shane does what he can.

By Monday, the rain had started blowing in sideways so Shane secured the animals in the barn before heading back inside the ranch. “Marnie, I’m stepping out to run a couple of errands,” he called out.

“Be careful! And hurry back, that hurricane’s gonna hit land soon,” Marnie called out before she heard the door close.

Hoodie pulled up and cash in his pocket, Shane headed to the beach first. The wind whipped the rain into sharp pellets that stung his face as he stumbled across the sand. Across the bridge, he noticed a dark figure in the shadows.  _ What a weird fucking tradition. Give a wad of cash to a shady guy on a rainy day for a mermaid pendant before you can marry the person you love?  _ Still, Shane persisted until he was standing in front of the Mariner. 

“I’ve come about a pendant,” Shane said to the man.

The Mariner looked at Shane, held up a small, blue spiral shell on a gold chain and named his price. Without hesitation, Shane took half of his winnings from the Joja Commercial he made over the summer and traded it for the pendant. 

He let it dangle in front of him for a moment, watching it sparkle eerily in the rain, before putting it in his pocket and heading back to town. His last stop was at the clinic and the wind was picking up so he hurried across the square and stepped inside. Dr. Harvey was standing behind the counter and looked up when the door opened.

“Hello, Shane! This hurricane is causing some nasty weather,” Harvey said with a friendly smile, “What brings you in today?”

Shane shifted around to see if Maru was there, not wanting her to overhear. When he was sure they were alone he asked, ”Uh, I’d like to buy a box of condoms, please.”

He noticed Harvey’s mouth twitch in a small smile, “Sure. Give me one moment, please.” The doctor squatted down to unlock the cabinet door hidden beneath the countertop. Shane heard him rifle through some boxes. “What size and how many? We’ve got regular or extra large and they come in twelve or twenty-four.” Harvey asked, peeking over the countertop at him.

Shane shifted uncomfortably, wanting to just buy the damn things and head home before somebody walked in. “Uh, regular, I guess, and, uh, the twenty-four pack,” he answered quickly, not wanting to have to do this again any time soon.

Harvey took the box out and set it up on the countertop before locking the cabinet to stand, “That’ll be eighteen dollars. Would you like a bag for that?”

“Yes, please,” Shane said quickly as he counted out the bills and handed them to Harvey. “And, uh, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about this to anyone, okay?”

Harvey put the bills in a locked drawer and smiled knowingly, “You have my word. Doctor Patient Confidentiality Clause,” then he handed him the bag. 

Shane took it, gave him a nod and left quickly, heaving a huge internal sigh of relief. He sprinted toward Joja Mart for the start of his shift, wondering why Morris hadn’t closed the store.  _ That sniveling little fucker doesn’t care about anything but profit margins. _

The sun peeked through the clouds for a brief moment before darker clouds moved in to cover it once more but Shane was too busy thinking about Ashley to notice. He knew the first time he realized he was falling for her was that stormy night he followed her home. After making love for the first time and waking up next to Ashley the next morning, he couldn’t stand the thought of not doing that every day now. Asking her to marry him in her shower without a second thought was scary at first but seemed so right. Shane smiled to himself at her initial reaction but was overjoyed that she accepted. 

As soon as Shane was about to clock in, Morris came in behind him. “Don’t bother, Mr. Rogers. I just got off the phone with Mr. Hooper. Corporate made me shut down today,” he sneered, keys in hand. Obviously, he had been waiting to send Shane home before locking up. 

“Alright,” Shane said, turning around and heading back out with Morris on his tail, beady little black eyes boring holes into his back.

\-----

Monday morning, Ashley fought her way to the top of the mountain intent on making it to Robin’s before lunch but the storm that was starting to roll in was fierce. The wind whipped her hair around, twisting it into a giant knot and groaned.  _ I’m glad Shane cut it for me when he did or this would be the worst mess. _ She cursed the storm and hurried toward the carpenter’s house. 

Upon entering, Robin’s smiling face faltered at the mess that came through the door, “Oh, my dear! Are you alright? The storm must be picking up to be that bad up here on the mountains.” She came around the counter to rub her arms. “What are you doing out in this weather anyway?”

“I need another house upgrade, namely two extra rooms, a bigger dining room and larger kitchen. I’ve been saving up and should have enough,” Ashley replied, holding up an envelope.

Robin took the envelope from her, “Yep, that’ll do it. With this, I’ll be able to get you the furnishings you need as well: dining table with six chairs and bedroom sets for the two rooms.” She walked back behind the counter and started jotting down the notes for Ashley’s house upgrades.

“Do you think you’ll be able to start after the storm passes?” Ashley asked, not wanting to let on that she was in too much of a hurry.

“Hopefully I can start tomorrow and have it all done before the Stardew Valley Festival,” Robin chimed happily, counted the cash and recorded payment. 

“Thank you so much! See you tomorrow...hopefully,” Ashley smiled before pulling her hair up in a ponytail and making her way to town for groceries and candles. 

Pierre greeted her much the same as Robin, surprised to see her out in the weather, “Hello Farmer Ashley! What brings you out in this mess?”

“Grabbing some quick provisions and candles in case I lose power in the storm,” she responded with a sniffle and filled a basket with peanut butter, bread, jelly, bottled water, dry cat food and a few candles. She also grabbed a package of chocolate chip cookies on a whim. 

Pierre rang her up with a smile and paid quickly, bid him goodbye, and started toward the farmhouse when she heard Shane calling her name. Ashley turned to see him huddled up, running across the footbridge away from Joja Mart. 

“What are you doing out in this weather?” he asked incredulously but didn’t wait for an answer before grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the ranch, “You need to come with me to Marnie’s ranch. The hurricane is about to hit.” 

_ A hurricane? “ _ What about my chickens and cat?” Ashley asked as she picked up her pace to match his, almost dropping her bag of groceries. 

Shane stopped long enough to take the bag from her. “They should be okay. I’m more concerned about you,” he said with a worried look, resuming his march hand-in-hand to the ranch. Once inside, they went straight to the kitchen and put the bag down on the counter.

“Marnie! Jas! Where are you?” Shane called out, searching the house frantically while Ashley stood there stupidly and watched. She heard a small voice calling Shane’s name.

“Shane! I hear Jas! She’s calling from the barn,” Ashley yelled as the wind picked up and rain started pelting the windows loudly.

He made his way back to the kitchen with wide eyes and made his way to the door off the kitchen. Throwing it open, he heard Jas calling and ran straight for her. “Jas, I’m here! Where’s Aunt Marnie?” he asked, hugging her tight before looking her over to make sure she wasn’t hurt. 

Jas was sobbing softly, “She went to get Miss Ashley and hasn’t made it back yet. Shane, I’m worried.” The tears in her eyes welled up. Jas looked up at Ashley when she came in and ran over to hug her, “Miss Ashley! You’re okay! Where’s Aunt Marnie?” Jas looked up at her with fear in her eyes. 

Ashley looked at Shane, knowing that he had to go. She nodded her head and off he went through the door. Turning back to Jas, she said, “Uncle Shane found me first but he’s going to go find Aunt Marnie now, okay? They’re going to be fine.” She hugged Jas to her and found the girl trembling with fright.

She looked for a cozy spot in the barn and walked Jas over to it. “Come on up,” Ashley patted her lap and Jas climbed up, clutching her shirt and burying her head in her chest. Ashley wrapped her arms around Jas and rocked her gently like she's seen Shane do numerous times.

Without thinking, Ashley began to sing the song her mother used to sing to her when she had a nightmare: 

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong in a boat out at sea

Sail away, kill off the hours

You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, find you a lover

Go away somewhere all bright and new

And I have seen no other

Who compares with you

Ashley felt Jas relaxing her grip and her breathing slowed so she continued to sing and rock her: 

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong in a boat out at sea

You belong  with your love on your arm

She had only sung a few more lines when Marnie entered with Buttons wrapped in a blanket. She stopped short at seeing Ashley consoling Jas and smiled, quietly setting the wailing kitten down. When Ashley stopped singing, Jas asked her to continue so she did:

You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, go find a lover

Run away, let your heart be your guide

You deserve the deepest of cover

You belong in that home by-and-by

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong somewhere close to me

Far away from your trouble and worries

You belong somewhere you feel free

You belong somewhere you feel free

(Song Credit: ‘Wildflowers’ by Trampled by Turtles)

After the song was finished, Jas sat in Ashley’s lap a while longer and made her heart burst. She hadn’t considered having kids before coming here but the feeling of taking care of this little girl made her rethink it.  _ It depends on how many kids Shane wants to have. _ Thinking of Shane made her look up at Marnie.

“Where’s Shane?” She asked quietly, not wanting to worry Jas, having just calmed her.

Marnie had been transfixed by the sight of the two girls that she had forgotten Shane hadn’t come in yet, “He was right behind me,” she whispered back, a look of concern deep on her face. “Give Jas to me and you go see where he is.”

Ashley carefully lifted Jas as she stood and laid her in Marnie’s lap.

“Where are you going, mom...Miss Ashley?” the little girl looked up at her with her impossibly big eyes. 

“I’m going to get you some cookies as soon as I help Uncle Shane inside, okay?” Ashley said with a warm smile before kissing Jas on the forehead and heading into the kitchen. 

As soon as the door closed, Ashley ran to the front door and opened it. The rain was coming down in sheets, not just sideways but all the ways. “Shane!” she called out as she ran toward the farmhouse. It was difficult to see too far in front of her because of the rain but she kept calling out for him as loud as she could, her throat turning raw. Tears streamed down Ashley's face mixed with rain as she slipped on the mud. She had nearly made it to the chicken house when she saw Shane wrangling the two scared chickens out of the coop.

“Shane!” She called, scrambling toward him. Her eyes wide with relief.

His head snapped up, revealing a gash across his cheek that was bleeding down his neck. “Ashley? What are you doing?” he started but didn’t have time to speak. The wind had started to roar and they needed to move...now. “Nevermind, let’s go!” he yelled. They would have words back at the ranch.

Shane slipped up a couple of times, the chickens threatening to tear out of his hoodie, but Ashley helped him and they made it back inside before the roaring got too loud. It sounded like the hurricane had landed but they made it just in time. Ashley opened the kitchen door for Shane, grabbed her grocery bag and a kitchen towel before shutting the door behind them. Once the chickens had been released from their hooded prison, they complained loudly and shook their feathers at being treated in such a way. 

Shane groaned and took the shredded hoodie off. “What were you thinking? I didn’t save your chickens for you to get hurt, too,” he said angrily, wincing in pain at the new scratches on his stomach and arms.

“Marnie said you were right behind her but we were worried when you didn’t come in,” Ashley explained as she opened a bottle of water. “Now, be still. These have to be cleaned or they’ll get infected,” she instructed, Keeping his head still with one hand to gently pour water across the gash on his cheek. 

Shane winced in pain but let her clean his wounds, watching her work carefully with furrowed brow. “Where did you learn to doctor like this?” he asked, trying to think of something else besides the stinging pain.

Ashley gave him a half-smile. “Television,” she joked. “Actually, Jarrod and I used to hang out with some skater kids in high school. I tried to learn and fell a lot so I learned how to treat scrapes and bruises with nothing but water bottles and rags,” Ashley explained quietly as she carefully worked.

Marnie was watching and listening quietly as she rocked Jas. “Who’s Jarrod?” she asked with piqued interest.

Ashley smiled sadly at Marnie, “He was my very best friend in high school. We went everywhere together; the brother I never had. He died in the first semester of our sophomore year of college.” She had to look away when her eyes teared up.

Shane watched Ashley start to slip into her sadness. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of it. “So, you used to be a skater chick?” Shane asked, trying to change the subject and it worked.

Ashley chuckled and smiled, “More of a poser, really. But they were cool and we had fun. Anyways, I’m nearly done here. I’ve got some fierce chickens.” 

When Ashley was done, she kissed Shane on the forehead, stood up and walked over to her grocery bag. She rummaged around for the package of cookies and found a small paper bag. When she opened it, she saw a box of condoms and blushed.  _ What the fuck? I didn’t buy those… _ She shoved it to the bottom of her bag and held up the package of cookies quickly. “Now, miss Jas, I believe I promised you some cookies,” she said, opening it and looking to Marnie, “How many is she allowed?”

Marnie chuckled, ‘How many do you think she should have?” She was curious how many she would allow her after Jas nearly called her mommy. Ashley had no idea how big of a deal this was and wasn’t entirely sure she had even noticed it.

“Well, given the circumstances, I think a cookie for each hand would be acceptable,” Ashley said, looking to Shane who smiled and nodded. 

She took two cookies out of the package and held them up to Jas. When she took them from Ashley’s hands, Ash ‘booped’ her on the nose, making Jas giggle and say ‘thank you’.

Ashley turned to sit with Shane and, just as he wrapped his least injured arm around her, the whole barn started rattling and shaking as the wind and storm battered against it. They heard the tin roof being tested as it fought from being ripped from the roof. When Jas let out a scream, Shane and Ashley jumped up at the same time to run over and the four of them huddled together until things quieted.

Marnie was the first to break the silence. “The eye must be passing,” she said so quietly it took Ashley a moment to comprehend what she was saying. “Yoba, keep the roof on and keep us safe,” she prayed aloud. 

Ashley sighed heavily with the stress and worry of how her farm was going to look when she got home. Her eyes teared up at the thought of everything she had worked to build the past seven months would be destroyed in an hour.

Shane reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s going to be alright,” he assured her with a grin. 

Ashley could tell it hurt for him to smile so she leaned over and rested her forehead on his. “I know. I love you.” she whispered and sniffled.

Usually, it was Shane that said those words first but hearing them from Ashley, unprovoked, made him close his eyes to keep from crying. “I love you, too.”

Jas, who had been watching their whole interaction, reached out her hand to play with Ashley’s hair and asked, “Are you going to marry Uncle Shane, Miss Ashley?” Her big eyes were rimmed with red but she smiled sweetly nonetheless.

Ashley leaned back to look into Shane’s beautiful green eyes and he gave the smallest of nods. “Yes, I am, Princess Jas. That is, if it’s okay with you,” she said with a warm smile, leaving the fate of their future in the hands of a scared, little six-year old girl.

Jas looked at Ashley then at Shane a moment before she came to a decision. “You have my blessing,” she said seriously before laying on Marnie’s chest and closed her eyes.

Marnie started chuckling happily. “Well, there you have it! This beats all I’ve ever seen,” she said as she shook her head in disbelief and wiped a tear from her eye. 

Before the eye passed and the second wall of the storm hit, Shane excused himself and went over to Ashley’s grocery bag. He dug around the bottom until he found the small bag she had put in the bottom and opened the box of condoms. There lay the mermaid pendant, right where he had tucked it away for safekeeping until he could present it to her. Now was as good a time as any with Marnie and Jas both aware of their plans. 

He walked back over and sat next to Ashley. Holding the Mermaid Pendant by its gold chain, he dangled it in front of her eyes. “We can make it official now,” Shane announced happily.

Ashley couldn’t help the tears that started down her face as she pulled her hair around one shoulder. Shane leaned over, placed the chain over Ashley’s head and around her neck. He brushed her chin with his thumb and brought her over for a sweet but very reserved kiss since Jas and Marnie were barely a foot away.

“Awww! You two are just the sweetest! I can’t wait to tell the gals. Caroline and Jodi are gonna be so jealous I was here to see it,” Marnie chuckled happily, brushing away more tears. 

Shane and Ashley looked at each other and groaned. Before either could protest, the storm was battering away at the barn again so they all huddled together until it quieted again. 

Shane was first to get up. “I’ll check outside and let you know if it’s safe to come out,” he said before stepping through the kitchen, glancing back at his whole world sitting there in the barn before closing the door behind him.

Marnie stood next, “I’ll go check on the animals. Jas, you wanna come check on the chickens?” 

She shook her head, “I want to stay with Miss Ashley.” Jas climbed up in her lap again and hugged her around the waist. 

“Is that alright, Chickadee?” Marnie asked, mostly out of courtesy, seeing that Ashley was perfectly content with the little girl curled up in her lap.

She nodded and Marnie gave her a warm smile before heading to check on the other animals. Ashley’s heart really couldn’t take much more, filled to the brim with her new family. She snuggled Jas, laying her head against the top of hers and hugged her as she rocked gently. After a few minutes, Ashley felt her little body grow heavy and her breathing slowed.  _ Did Jas just fall asleep on me?  _ She was wondering what to do but continued holding and rocking her gently since that seemed to be calming her. 

When the door to the kitchen opened, Shane stepped through and closed the door behind him, “There’s debris everywhere but I stepped up to the farm for a glance and…” He turned to find his fiancee holding his sleeping niece and smiled, unflinching at the pain in his cheek.

Ashley smiled back at him and whispered, “I rocked her just like you do and she fell asleep. What do I do?” 

Shane came over to them and kissed Ashley, “Nothing right now. As soon as I finish helping Marnie I’ll come get her.” He kissed her again and smiled at her again before he left. 

Left alone in the quiet, Ashley wondered where Buttons and her chickens had hidden. While she looked around the barn for them, her gaze lingered on Shane’s favorite blue hoodie that had been wrecked by the sharp talons of her hens. Her thoughts then wondered to the wreck her farm must be in. She imagined broken corn stalks, pumpkins scattered and her vegetable garden wrecked.  _ I’ll never know what my Fairy Flowers will look like, _ she thought and started to get sad. The chicken coop was probably blown apart and the panels of her greenhouse that she had painstakingly taken down and piled for the rebuild were probably shattered. The picture she painted was too vivid and she found herself starting to sob softly.

Ashley was trying to stop the tears that flowed freely when Shane came in with Marnie. He was immediately on the defensive at seeing her cry. “What’s wrong, Ashley?” he asked with concern, rubbing her back soothingly, remembering what she said at the Panitelli’s burger joint.

“My farm is ruined, I know it,” Ashley replied softly. 

Shane reached for Jas but Marnie stopped him, “I got her, kiddo. You take Ashley to see her farm.”

“Thank you, Marnie,” Shane replied, putting his hand on her arm before helping Ashley to her feet. 

He put his arm around her, leading her outside. There was debris everywhere but the ranch and barn seemed to be fine. Looking over at Leah’s house, the only things she seemed to have lost were her fall decorations. Ashley was starting to feel better until they walked up to her farm and she saw the mess it was in. Her legs started to give but Shane caught her and held her while she sobbed. It was all ruined, just like she thought it would be. Everything...gone. After a few minutes, Ashley was able to regain enough composure to walk the rest of the way around the farm. Most of her corn was broken like she pictured, all but one of her eggplant bushes were uprooted, two of her cranberry bushes survived, the yams were okay but the dirt hills had been washed away. Just like she thought, the Fairy Flowers that had sprouted were gone so Shane helped her over to the pumpkin patch. It wasn’t as bad as she initially thought it would be. There were a lot of leaves that had been thrashed but more than a quarter of her bigger pumpkins had weathered the storm. 

“It’s not a total loss, Ashley. Be happy the house is holding up well,” Shane said, trying to be supportive and look at the positives like she taught him. “We’ll have it back to better before Spirit’s Eve,” he smiled proudly.

“How? Shane, it took me seven months to get it where it was,” Ashley replied, sitting on the bottom step with her head in her hands.

Shane took a seat next to her and put his arm around her, “With both of us working on it, we’ll get it done. I’m quitting Joja Mart as of right now.”


	11. *Building Blocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane and Ashley head to the city for his second therapy session and learn some possibly unsettling news.

Wednesday afternoon, Shane stayed over at Ashley’s after working on the farm since they would have to leave early the next morning for his second therapy session. He had also packed an extra set of clothes since they would be staying overnight to make time for dinner with the Panitellis. Shane told her dinner would stretch on for hours so they may be there until midnight before they let them go, and that would be the earliest they would be able to leave.

When Jas had heard that Uncle Shane would be spending the night two nights in a row with Aunt Ashley, as she had started calling her ever since the engagement, she pitched a royal fit. 

“It’s not fair,” she had said, pouting angrily until Shane explained that she would get to spend the night at Aunt Ashley’s next week. 

“Aunt Ashley has a biiiig surprise for her Princess Jas,” he teased with a huge smile.

Jas had rolled her eyes impossibly big, “Oh, alright. Just go, but bring me something back, okay? Pleeeease, Uncle Shane?” Giving him her secret weapon.

Shane responded in an equally ridiculous eye roll, “Fine! I’ll bring you a teeny something back.” 

He kissed his god-daughter on the forehead and reminded her to be extra good for Aunt Marnie and that they’d be back in time for pizza movie night at the ranch. After a quick stir-fry dinner, Shane began to take full advantage of having Ashley all to himself for nearly two whole days. 

“I’m looking forward to being with you like this and waking up to your beautiful face every day,” he told her as they lay in bed, Ashley’s leg thrown over his, arm draped across his body and head snuggled on his chest. His fingers played idly on her back, tracing her spine all the down until he couldn’t reach. “I want to get to know every inch of you.” 

Ashley kissed his chest, too comfortable after all that exercise to move much else. “We have the rest of our lives to learn every square inch of each other’s bodies. Then, every year our bodies will change and we’ll have to start all over again,” she mused as she ran her finger across the scar on his midsection, lingering a moment before she went lower and, smiling, stuck her finger in his belly button, “Boop.”

Shane rolled away from her, bringing his knees to his chest in laughter. “Oh, you’re gonna get it!” he yelled playfully and chased her around the bed until she faked running into the bathroom but he was too quick. Hopping across the bed in an impossibly nimble feat, Shane scooped her up in his arms and tossed her on the bed while she roared with laughter. He quickly lay on top of her, pinning her to the bed with her arms above her head.

“Whatcha gonna do now?” He asked, green eyes sparkling mischievously as he grabbed little pecks here and there, teasing her. He felt himself getting aroused again and wondered if they could go for round two.

Ashley’s eyes were sultry and sparkled playfully, “I’m powerless against your guile so you’ll just have to take advantage of me. Reparation must be paid for the booping of the belly button...and for learning how ticklish you are.” She grinned ear to ear, proud of her discovery. 

“You’re weird,” Shane smiled before kissing her neck and sharing a secret discovery of his own. “And I also know things, like the fact that you LOVE kid’s movies,” he whispered in her ear before coming back up with a huge grin of his own.

Ashley’s mouth was open wide with shock, “How do you know? No person alive knows that secret!” She was genuinely surprised.

“Oh, I have my ways. Much like how I’ve kept you busy talking long enough to get worked up for another round and, now, I take my revenge,” Shane said, letting go of Ashley’s hands to go down on her. He found her already wet and ready.

She smiled down at him and said, “And I have ways all my own,” before pulling him back down. 

\-----

Thursday morning, Shane awoke in a particularly good mood despite the fact he had to get up early, beating the alarm like he had a habit of doing when he stayed at the farmhouse. Upon opening his eyes, he saw the most beautiful creature he had ever encountered laying next to him. Ashley was perfect in every way down to each curve of her gorgeous body and, best of all, she was his. 

Shane raised his hand to brush her cheek when she roused and smiled sweetly with her deep red lips just before her sleepy eyes found his. “Good morning, handsome,” she whispered before he came over to kiss her.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said before wrapping her up in his arms. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

Ashley responded, “Have I told you there’s no one else above you?” Having recently discovered they both enjoyed nineties music and had a soft spot for Rod Stewart, they had started quoting love songs since neither was great at coming up with poetry on the fly.

“As much as we want to lay here, we have a long day ahead of us. Plus, Robin will start hammering soon,” Ashley said quietly as she combed through Shane’s messy violet locks and admired his features for what seemed like the thousandth time. His lips weren’t as full as hers but they weren’t thin. _Just right_. And, for some reason, she found he had a handsome nose. It sounds weird, but it’s true. His whole face was so perfectly proportioned, like Yoba had sculpted him out of the highest quality clay of the gods and said, ‘Here, this is the perfect face for a man.’ Maybe she was biased, being totally and madly in love with him but there was nothing she could find about him that wasn’t perfect. Every scar, whether physical or beneath the skin, every hang-up, every ounce of doubt, any imperfection he thought he had...they were all pieces of Shane that made up the person Ashley had fallen in love with so he was, in her eyes, perfect.

Shane gave Ashley one last kiss on the temple before reluctantly letting her go so they could quickly dress for their appointments. Ashley packed her overnight clothes while Shane was in the bathroom, switching up so she could finish getting ready. Shane tossed his toiletries in his bag, zipped it up, then went to see about breakfast.

Ashley came out of the bedroom with their overnight bags in hand to find Shane piling scrambled eggs onto two plates next to toast and two glasses of orange juice. “You are full of surprises! I thought you said you didn’t know how to cook?” she asked sweetly, grabbing a quick kiss before sliding onto one of the barstools.

Shane put the pan back on the stove before joining her, clearly proud of himself for cooking something without using Chef Mike’s help. “It’s not much but I’ve watched Marnie and you make scrambled eggs enough times,” he responded humbly.

After breakfast, they quickly washed the dishes before locking up and headed out to the bus stop, waving at Robin as they left. She waved goodbye and wished them a safe trip before turning back to work. Walking hand in hand to the bus stop, Ashley asked the question that had been on her mind this morning.

“Shane, what is that scar on your midsection from?” Ashley inquired, wondering if it had anything to do with the accident Mr. Tony Panitelli mentioned two weeks ago.

“Well,” Shane let out a breath, “You know I played gridball back in high school. Antony was on the team, too, and we were both planning to play in college but...Shit, this is hard…” He rubbed his eyes at the memory.

Ashley had promised not to push him so she shook her head. “You don’t have to tell me if it’s too much. I was just curious,” she replied, ready to drop the whole thing.

“No, I can do this. We’re getting married and you need to know my past,” Shane replied. He took another settling breath and held Ashley’s hand. She gave it a squeeze so he continued, “It was the summer before our freshman year of college. We were out partying before the start of term and had too much to drink. Instead of calling Tony to pick us up, like he had asked us to, I decided to drive us home. There were two girls with us…” He stopped to blush at Ashley.

“I’m not jealous of past girlfriends but I don’t need any details either,” Ashley stated before letting him continue.

“So, there were four of us in my little Honda Accord and I was drunk. I missed a stop sign, slamming into the side of a minivan. Fortunately, the driver was okay and there wasn’t anyone else in their vehicle but it wasn’t the same for us,” Shane continued, taking another deep breath. “The girl in the front seat ended up getting stitches in her forehead while Antony and his girl got bumped around. They were okay but...my seatbelt was broken but I didn’t realize it at the time and was flung from my seat. My abdomen hit the steering wheel before my head smacked into the windshield and I landed on the hood of the car. The ambulance rushed the girl and me to the hospital and I got the scar when they cut me open to make sure my spleen didn’t need to be removed or something.”

Shane looked ahead while they walked as if the memory was playing before him, “Needless to say, because of my DUI and injury, I lost my gridball scholarship and spot on the team. Antony…” He stopped to wipe his face before continuing. Clearing the phlegm that was building up, Shane finished his story, “He didn’t want to be on the team if I couldn’t be so he dropped out. Since Antony wasn’t going to be playing, he was drafted into the war…” Ashley hugged Shane, letting him cry into her shoulder. 

“It's my fault he died, Ash,” he sobbed as he raised his head to the sun. “Yoba, I never apologized to the Panitelli’s. I was too ashamed.” He grunted and coughed, trying to regain his composure.

Ashley held Shane’s hand and laid her head on his arm, “Are we going to be okay having dinner with them tonight or do I need to call and cancel?”

Shane rested his head on hers, not wanting Ashley to see his face, “Don’t cancel. It’s been a long time coming. I mean, I’ve come to grips with it but it still hurts like hell. Tonight, I’ll apologize and can start to heal, I guess.”

Ashley gave Shane a tissue to clean up before the bus got there and took their seat near the back when it pulled up. Once underway, she changed the subject to something a little happier. “So, Jas’s bedroom is coming along nicely and Robin said she should be finished with everything before the Stardew Festival next week,” she said, making light conversation. 

Shane had been staring out the window, no doubt thinking about what they talked about earlier. “Yeah, that’s great, Ash. Jas is going to be stoked.” He turned to give her a small smile before putting his arm around her shoulders. “I still don’t know how to thank you for doing this. It means everything to me that you are trying to include Jas” he added, turning back to watch the valley pass.

“Jas means the world to you and you are my world. She will always be included,” Ashley said as she looked out the window with him. Today had only begun and she was already tired. _Yoba, help me be strong for Shane._

The ride was a quiet one since Shane clearly was lost in thought and Ashley didn’t want to disturb him. He held her tightly, though, as the bus rolled along with its soothing engines. Shane watched Ashley’s reflection in the window as she idly fingered her Mermaid Pendant and smiled to himself. _Yoba, I’m still struggling with the doubt that I’m not good enough for this girl. Help me be strong...please._

Ashley felt her eyelids getting heavy so she opened them wide in an attempt to stay awake but it was difficult snuggled up with Shane’s warmth. He was still staring out the window in deep thought so she focused on his breath. Slow, in and out breaths that lulled her to sleep. The last thing Ashley remembers was passing a sign saying ‘Zuzu City - 35 miles’ when Shane gently shook her awake.

“Ash, we’re here,” he said gently, smiling at his sleepy-headed fiancée. 

She heard the air brakes of the bus hiss. “I’m so sorry, Shane. I didn’t mean to sleep half the trip,” Ashley apologized and quickly sat up just before the bus came to a stop.

Shane smiled warmly, putting his hand on her back to stand with her and guided her down the aisle. “It’s alright, really. I needed to sort through some things and it gave me time. Besides, I still had your company. Did you know, when you sleep, you do this cute thing where you mumble,” he smiled, handing the driver a fiver before carrying their bags off the bus. 

Ashley was embarrassed to say she knew. Jarrod had told her as much when they rented an apartment together. She just smiled bashfully at him and batted her eyelashes, “You say the sweetest things about my most annoying habits.”

She took her bag so they could walk holding hands to the doctor’s building. When they made it upstairs, Shane kissed the top of her head before heading back with Dr. Burke. Ashley busied herself scrolling through bridal websites to look at dresses, settling on three that she really liked and saving them for later so Marnie and Jas could help her pick one. 

She also looked through some simple but elegant hairstyles that she would be able to do at home. There was one in particular that looked easy enough so she saved it as well. Ashley had just started the video when Dr. Burke’s door opened and Shane came out looking a bit more subdued than when he went in.

When Shane looked up at Ashley, he gave her a weak grin as he walked toward her with Dr. Burke behind. Ashley stood and slid her arms around his waist, hugging him tight.

“Is everything okay?” she whispered in his ear. Shane tightened his arms around her, digging his face in her neck and nodded. Ashley let him hold her as long as he needed to. He let go after a few minutes and sighed deeply before turning to face Dr. Burke.

“Miss Ashley, first I’d like to extend my congratulations on your engagement,” Dr. Burke said with a friendly smile. 

“Thank you, Dr. Burke,” she replied before realizing there was more. She steeled herself for bad news. 

Dr. Burke asked, “Would you please join us in my office?”

She wasn’t sure what was going on but looked to Shane. When he nodded, she took his hand in hers, “Sure.”

After they were seated, Ashley felt her palms getting sweaty, remembering the last time she had seen Dr. Langley, her therapist, a month before she moved to Pelican Town. She wasn’t sure what was going on but Shane never let go of her hand.

Dr. Burke clasped his hands together, propped his elbows on his desk and looked across at Ashley. “I’d also like to thank you for your unfailing support and loyalty to Mr. Rogers. Our session today went very well. He tells me you two have been sharing things from your past. Is this correct?”

Ashley cleared her throat, “Yes, we have. It’s important that we know each other’s past so we can form our future together based on a mutual support system.” The words spilled out of her mouth and she wondered if Dr. Burke considered her words wise or realized she was spouting bullshit.

Dr. Burke smiled, “Well said, Miss Webber. If you two continue your talks, at this natural pace as allows, I don’t see why Mr. Rogers has to come every two weeks. I’m aware your wedding will coincide with his next appointment so I would like to schedule you both for a month from now.”

“I’m sorry, are you saying you want us to see us BOTH? Like a couple’s counseling or something?” Ashley asked, feeling her face start to flush with heat. 

“Given Mr. Roger’s past and the custody of his god-daughter, Jas, at stake I don’t see any alternative. You have been to a therapist, as well, for alcoholism, have you not? Mr. Rogers said that, after you two are married, Jas would be staying with you both. It is required, by the state, that you both attend sessions if that is the case.” Dr. Burke continued calmly, seemingly trying to explain the delicate situation as if she didn’t fully understand.

Ashley suddenly felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her head felt light and her eyes started losing focus. She nodded her head before the floor rushed up to meet her. Shane grabbed Ashley’s shoulders as soon as he saw her start to tip forward and eased her upright.

“Ashley?” Shane said quietly. He tapped her cheek gently to wake her. 

“I’ll get her some water,” Dr. Burke excused himself before stepping over to the door to speak to his secretary.

“I’m awake, sorry,” Ashley responded to see Shane’s face frowning deeply with concern. “I just got lightheaded all of a sudden. Sorry,” she apologized again, sitting up in her seat in time for the secretary to tap lightly on the door with a glass of water. 

Shane hopped up immediately and thanked her before returning to Ashley. “Here,” he said soothingly, placing a hand on her knee and the other one across her shoulder once she took the water.

“Thanks,” she said before drinking a sip to turn it up and drain the cup. Feeling much better, she looked at Dr. Burke. “I have been a patient of Dr. Phyllis Langley’s for nearly two years for alcohol and drug abuse. And, yes, Dr. Burke, Jas is and will always be a part of our life. The last thing I want is for her security to be threatened so it has always been important for me to form a relationship with her as well,” Ashley smiled at Shane when she felt his hand squeeze her knee. 

“Phyllis and I are good friends and have worked closely on several cases. I’ll give her a call this week and collaborate,” Dr. Burke stood to indicate they were nearly done so they followed suit. “As long as Mr. Rogers continues on his current course of recovery and Dr. Langley’s notes correlate, our sessions should be short and you three will be able to get on with your lives,” he finished, walked to the door and opened it for them. 

Shaking their hands, he added, “See the secretary downstairs for your appointment details next month. I’ll give you a call if anything changes after speaking with Phyllis.”

“Thank you, Dr. Burke,” Shane and Ashley said in turn as they shook the doctor’s hand.

Grabbing both bags, Shane hurried to the elevator with Ashley close behind. They still needed to check-in to the hotel before grabbing lunch so Ashley could make it to the salon by 1:30 p.m. Shane also wanted to take her shopping and to pick a gift out for Jas and a bottle of wine before they went over to the Panitelli’s for dinner. It was a full day and Dr. Burke had taken up more time than they had planned on.

Downstairs, Ashley kept the bags with her while Shane got his paperwork. As soon as he was finished, he grabbed his bag and held Ashley’s hand, making their way to the hotel. Everything they needed was within a four-block radius but there were so many people on the sidewalk, it took twice as long to get anywhere. 

Shane’s face was set as they walked through the crowd, making a beeline for the hotel stopping only at the crosswalks. Ashley would smile up at him and he’d give her a half-smile in return before his super-focused face returned. She was learning that, when Shane was set on something, he got it done without hesitation. Their whirlwind of a romance suddenly made perfect sense and Ashley started blushing. 

At the hotel, Shane didn’t slow down until they were in their room. He tossed their bags in the desk chair and turned on Ashley. Before she could react, his hands were cupping her face and he kissed her hungrily. Shane’s lips found their way down her face to her neck and she felt the heat from this sudden show of passion building in her chest and down below.

His hands moved to Ashley’s pants, unbuttoning them as quickly as her nimble fingers worked to free him. She kicked her pants and underwear to the side just as he did, fumbling to get the condom open. Ashley slid up on the bed to sit, holding onto his hips as she waited. 

Shane’s fingers weren’t working fast enough so he tore it with his teeth, rolled it on and almost slammed inside her. Ashley’s back arched as she called out at the force of him hitting her cervix so hard she felt it in her hips. Shane let out a loud moan and kept pumping his hips rhythmically, grabbing her hips until they climaxed together, panting and moaning so obscenely loud that guests in the neighboring rooms surely blushed at hearing them. 

He fell over and rested on top of Ashley’s chest for a moment before propping up to look at her face. Shane adored the way Ashley’s face, neck and chest flushed pink afterwards and today was no exception. 

She smiled up at him before leaning up to kiss his chin, the stubble lightly scratching her lips. “Better?” she asked with a little giggle.

Shane rested his chin on her chest a moment and smiled up at her. “Better,” he replied, stealing a kiss before pulling her to her feet. 

While Ashley was bent over trying to find their pants, Shane came up behind her and smacked her right on the ass. She let out a yelp and threw his pants at him. “Ow!” she told him as she rubbed her cheek, not sure if she was mad at him for doing it or aroused.

Shane just laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, “I’ve always wanted to do that. You have the most beautiful, round ass that has been begging for it.” He thought he was being so cute…

...And he was right. Ashley couldn’t help but snuggle up and kiss him, thinking of a way to get back at him later. “I will have my revenge, Shane Rogers. When you least expect it,” she warned him, eyes shimmering playfully.

“I look forward to it,” Shane challenged, kissing her neck before giving it a little nibble. “We need to go before we get into more trouble,” he said, looking down at his slowly returning erection.

Ashley nodded, “Neither of us will be any good if we get into that kind of trouble.” She stole one more kiss before they got dressed.

Once on the street it was a short walk to the salon but Shane snuggled Ashley against him cozily as they made their way along. They got a few passing glances which just made his smile larger and, by the time they got to the door, you’d think Shane had just won tickets to the Tunneler’s Championship Gridball game with the way he sauntered in behind her. 

Ashley went up to the counter and relayed her appointment to the girl behind the counter. The girl led Ashley over to a chair while Shane found a seat near her to watch. Ashley smiled nervously at him through the reflection in the mirror as the girl started trimming and layering her hair. Shane watched, mesmerized, as her hair fell to the floor like dandelion seeds in a summer breeze as the stylist adeptly snipped and clipped. Soon the display was over and the cape was off to reveal her masterpiece. 

Four more inches lighter, Ashley stood and gave her silky locks a shake and giggled happily. Shane stood to get a better look, twirling her around as he grinned. 

“You look beautiful, Ash. And it’s not too short,” he replied, running his fingers through her soft hair. Instead of coming to her elbows where he had cut it, now it came just below her shoulders.

“It feels so much lighter, I love it!” Ashley gushed to Shane and her stylist. “Thank you so much!” 

They went to the front to pay, tipping well, and made their way to the shopping strip a few blocks away. “Where are we going to eat? I need something to hold me over until dinner since we, uh, had other plans for lunch,” Ashley asked, teasing Shane by running her free hand across his chest, feeling his pectoral muscles flex beneath. Shane’s hot dad bod was turning into hot farmer bod quickly between his weightlifting and helping on the farm. _No wonder it’s been so damn difficult to keep my hands off him_ , she thought.

“There’s a food Mall here we can grab a snack at,” Shane said, leading her to an escalator. He helped her on before quickly stepping on behind her. 

Shane brought his other hand up behind her neck as he leaned over for a sweet kiss on their way up. Ashley was feeling a little light-headed by the time they reached the top and smiled dumbly at Shane as he helped her off.

“I can check making out on an escalator off my list,” she said as he laced his fingers in hers.

“I like when we have these first moments together,” Shane said with a smile before he skimmed the food court and pointed to a vendor on the other side. “There,” he said with finality, heading toward a chinese place.

Ashley knew the look on Shane’s face and his stomach hadn’t steered them wrong yet. She smiled, shrugged and walked alongside him. The scent of sesame and teriyaki hit her nose, causing her stomach to grumble loudly. 

“Chicken or beef?” Shane asked her as he examined the sides, adding, “The chicken is best, trust me.” 

Ashley didn’t care. Food was food right now. “Chicken, and, can I get a few of those spring rolls, too,” she answered, swallowing back the saliva that threatened to drip out the corner of her mouth.

Shane ordered a plate for them to share, adding an order of three spring rolls for Ashley and two egg rolls for himself. They opted for water to drink, paid the vendor and sat down to the large plate of food.

The spring roll was the first thing Ashley went for, not having eaten any since she left the city. “Mmmmmm. I have missed chinese food so much!” she said after finishing her second roll, adding “And these spring rolls are the bomb.” 

“I’m more of an egg roll guy, myself,” Shane replied, chewing happily. “How’s the teriyaki chicken and fried rice?” He loved how she ate like normal people, not worrying about taking small, little, dainty bites like the prissy girls he grew up with. 

Ashley took a bite and rolled her eyes, “Divine. I’m lucky my fiance knows all the good eats around here.” She gave him a little eyebrow raise and giggled. 

After devouring their late lunch, they quickly made their way through the mall to a posh little clothing store for kids. Shane and Ashley browsed around at a few items before a sales associate with the name ‘Lori’ printed on her tag came up to them smiling.

“Welcome to Posh Palace for Kids! Is there something I can help you find today?” Lori asked super-friendly.

Shane spoke up, “My niece has been asking for some kind of jeweled bunny slippers but we don’t have any at the stores back home. I’d know them if I saw them.”

Lori gave a friendly, knowing smile, “I know exactly what you’re talking about. If you’ll follow me!” She turned and skittered toward the back where the shoe display was located.

Ashley was scanning as they followed, thinking about what she wanted to get Jas. Shane stopped to pick out her size slipper while Ashley picked out a powdery pink, twin bed sheet set that had little white bunnies and dandelions printed on it with matching quilt, pillows and shams. They checked out and Shane carried the bags to the next store, stopping in front of a jewelry store. 

“What are we doing here?” Ashley asked, seeing a certain look in her boy’s eyes that made her giddy.

Shane put the bags down on the floor beside them and took her left hand, gently rubbing the knuckle above her ring finger. “I know the Valley had its tradition but we’re from the city and we have our own. I want you to have a ring, too,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips to kiss where her ring would go.

Ashley was tearing up. _He’s just too much...I love this man._ “You don’t have to…” she started but her voice caught and gave her away. 

Shane pulled her into a hug, “I was gonna pick one out for you but I don’t know your ring size. Besides, this way, you can pick the one you like.”

“I’m buying you a matching band. If I’m going to wear one, I want you to have one, too,” Ashley said, looking into his eyes. 

He looked at her a moment before smiling as Ashley put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She then helped him with the bags and went inside. 

The man at the counter, who had seen their display outside his store, was ready with the wedding sets when they entered. “Good afternoon, lovebirds! Can I interest you in our beautiful wedding sets today? We’re running a sale; twenty percent off!” he pitched with an excited smile.

Shane smiled and motioned for Ashley to see what he had out on display. She eagerly browsed and tried on a few styles until she found the one she liked. It was a pale gold set with a small marquise cut diamond in the center and two small emerald cut diamonds on either side that had a simple gold band to match.

“Does this set come with a matching band for him?” Ashley inquired. Shane looked over her shoulder at the set she was referring to and nodded in approval.

The jeweler gave a small smile and put his finger up, “I do indeed!” He was humming as he searched through the men’s bands until he found the match. Bringing them together for Ashley’s approval, she nodded and he began to box them up.

“Wait,” Shane said, before the man was able to put it all away. “I want to put her engagement ring on now. She’s already said ‘yes’, I’m just not so romantic to pick the ring beforehand,” he said, shrugging it off. The jeweler didn’t know he’d forked out a fortune already for the Mermaid Pendant around Ashley’s neck. 

“Yes, well. Alright. Will this be cash or charge?” the man asked with a greedy sparkle in his eye.

Shane, not looking at the man, replied, “Cash.” He slipped the ring on Ashley’s finger and kissed the back of her hand. He smiled lovingly at his giddy fiancee and pulled out his wallet to pay the man. Today was playing out better than Shane had thought it would, he just hoped his luck was just beginning but that was not likely. They still had to get past dinner at the Panitelli’s...


	12. *Riding in Cars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner with the Panitelli’s revealed more of Shane’s past and, oddly enough, Ashley’s past, too.

The cab ride to Panitelli’s was a quiet one. Ashley noticed how quiet Shane had gotten since they left the hotel room and tried to be supportive by holding his hand but he seemed to be even more distant than the bus ride. She turned her finger around to watch her ring sparkle as she played with his fingers, sighing at the silence and feeling helpless.

Ashley was lost in thought when he finally spoke up, “We’re here.”

They pulled up in front of a row of Victorian houses that were so close to each other, the neighbors could shake hands through the windows. Shane paid the cab driver and got out, coming around to open Ashley’s door and held out his hand. She took it and he helped her onto the curb, lacing his fingers in hers and giving it a squeeze as the cab drove away. 

“We can take a moment, if you need,” Ashley said quietly, placing her hand on his chest as the diamonds from her ring glinted in the waning sunlight.

Shane sighed heavily, “No. We should go on in. The Panitelli’s will want to talk before dinner...and after dinner and after dessert...They like to talk.” He hugged Ashley for extra support like he does and pulled back, ready to go.

The front door opened and Vinnie popped his head out, “Hey! You guys made it! Don’t stand outside like a couple of weirdos, come on in!” Stepping out on the porch he waved them over.

Shane looked at Ashley and gave her a look but she just smiled and squeezed his hand. As soon as Shane stepped foot on the bottom step, Vinnie had him in a bear hug.

“It’s great to actually visit this time! You should see Ma, she’s been cooking and going on about you all day,” Vinnie gushed as he motioned Shane inside. 

“Hey, Vinnie. It’s good to see you again,” Ashley said as she stepped up on the porch. He pulled her into a hug and she awkwardly returned it.

“It’s good to see you again, too, Ashley. Hey, I like what you did with your hair,” Vinnie smiled and blushed lightly. “Come on in. Ma can’t wait to meet the girl that brought Shane back to the city.” 

He put his hand on her shoulder lightly, guiding her inside to a flurry of ‘hello’s’, hugs and cheek kisses from half of the Panitelli family that showed up for dinner tonight. The house was larger on the inside than it looked but was still cramped like a family reunion.

After being passed around to thirty different people, Ashley finally spotted Shane across the room standing next to a gorgeous, dark-haired woman that was getting a little handsy with her fiancé. She had her perfectly manicured nails on his arm, twirling her hair with the other hand and was laughing loudly. 

Ashley finally made her way over to him and she was able to see the glossed over look on his face. Her anger toward him cooled, especially when he smiled gratefully at her appearance.

“There you are!” Ashley said loudly, making sure to plant her left hand with the engagement ring on the center of Shane’s chest as she slipped her other arm around his waist. “I think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting everyone, except…” she smiled, turning to look at the woman with her most charming smile.

Shane looked a little uncomfortable but, after seeing the way he let her handle him, he could squirm a moment, “Monique, this is my fiancée, Ashley. Ash, Monique is Vinnie’s cousin but we went to school together.”

Monique looked like a flipping super model with her perfectly symmetrical eyebrows and makeup on-point. Her full lips were cherry red, her eyes darker brown than her own and curves that looked like she was a walking photoshop picture. Ashley was happy she’d just had her hair done today because she felt very plain standing next to Monique. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Ashley. Tony and Vinnie haven’t stopped talking about you for weeks,” Monique said with her thick northern, coastal accent with rounded vowels. It was a bit nasally, not matching her looks at all. “When I heard Shane was coming to dinner tonight, I just had to see for myself!” she added, smiling with emphasis on Shane’s name. Monique was blatantly flirting with Shane, right in front of her but Ashley knew how to play. 

Positioning herself between the other woman and Shane, Ashley pressed herself against him and asked in a sweet voice, “Shane, honey, can we go get a drink? All this talk with your extended family has made me thirsty.” 

Thankfully, Shane found Ashley’s tactics amusing rather than annoying and played along, putting his arm around her shoulder. “Of course, my pet. Please excuse us, Mona,” he said politely before making their way to the hub of the house: the kitchen. 

Admittedly, Shane had made it through the mosh pit of Panitelli’s and was waiting for Ashley before going to see Tony and Marge. With this being the first time setting foot in their house in four or so years, he didn’t want to see the hosts without her. Monique had spotted him standing and took advantage of having him alone. Thankfully, Ashley didn’t seem too angry but saved him from her droll conversation just in time. Now they were off to meet the roots of the family and the two people he thought of as parents during his adolescence…and the people he would likely lose after his apology tonight. 

Before entering the kitchen, Shane lowered his arm to hold Ashley’s hand and she gave it a squeeze. Marge, having heard all the commotion at the front of house, was smoothing her apron and was the first to notice them. She rushed over to meet the couple with tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Figlio Mio Bellissimo! You have come home!” Marge exclaimed as she kissed Shane’s cheeks and hugged him so tightly he couldn’t breathe. “Why do you go for so long without a phone call or nothing? You break my heart,” she said, standing back to look at his whole face as she held it in her hands like a delicate piece of pottery.

Shane teared up, “I’m sorry, mamma. I was in a bad place for a long time and I should have called…” He sniffled as he trailed off. Ashley and Marge both saw the pain on his face and in his eyes at the words he wanted to say but couldn’t yet. 

Marge sniffled as well, gave him a loving smile then patted his cheek. “Well, you are here now,” she said before turning to Ashley, “And you, mia bellissima bambina! You saved my Shane and brought him back to us. Grazie, Angelo mio!” She took Ashley by the shoulders and kissed her cheeks before pulling her into a tight hug. 

Ashley smiled and was moved to near tears at this woman’s affection for Shane. “Shane saved me as well, Mrs. Panitelli,” she admitted when the woman finally released her and she could breathe. 

“Welcome to the family, tesoro mia,” Marge said sweetly before asking, “So, when is the wedding?” 

Ashley smiled up at Shane when he slipped his arm around her waist, “In three weeks. We were going to announce it at dinner tonight but I guess everyone already knows.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

Marge looked at him and smiled with a mother’s knowing smile, “Well, if the ring wasn’t the first thing people noticed, it would be the Mermaid Pendant around her neck.” She winked at them before pulling them into the kitchen to meet the cooks rushing around to finish last-minute dishes. 

A booming voice called out first, “Ashley and Shane! Congratulations on your engagement!” Tony Panitelli came up and hugged the both of them in a giant bear hug. “Welcome home, son. So, three weeks until the big day, huh? I assume the wedding will take place in Pelican Town?” he asked, stepping back to look at them like a proud papa.

“Yeah, the townsfolk will take it personally if we have the ceremony somewhere else and we’re planning to live there after we get married, so...” Shane explained, leaving out the fact that Marnie had already started planning everything the day after the storm. 

Ashley nodded, “But, we’re planning to have the reception at Marnie’s ranch since there’s a large clearing that should accommodate everyone.” Shane kissed her on the temple. He couldn’t contain his excitement at finally marrying Ashley, the other half of his heart and soul.

Tony smiled and shook his head, “Come on you two, dinner is nearly done and the night is still young.” 

At dinner, with Ashley and Shane being the guests of honor, they received first helpings of all the different dishes served throughout the course of the night. There were three different types of prosciutto wrapped appetizers, plates of cheeses, sausages, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and olives with balsamic glaze and these little, crispy fried balls of rice and cheese that were Ashley’s favorite. The main dishes passed around included baked ziti, chicken parmesan with angel hair pasta, baked rigatoni meatball, a lasagna that rivalled Marnie’s and two different flatbread pizzas. When Ashley felt she couldn’t eat anymore, they started bringing out desserts. Cannolis filled with vanilla or chocolate cream, a beautiful tiramisu, panna cotta, and these thin, flaky and crispy cookies called pizzelles. 

Everyone laughed, ate, talked, and ate some more until the whole table leaned back with full stomachs. The talking had quieted as some people went outside for an after dinner cigar or cigarette or moved off to the kitchen or living room. Soon, the only people left around the dinner table with Shane and Ashley were Vinnie, Monique, Tony, Marge, nonni Greta and a few of the closest cousins, aunts and uncles. 

Tony asked a couple of the younger cousins to help their nonni to bed, indicating it was time for adult talk. Once they were gone, everyone else shifted chairs to sit closer to the guests of honor. To Ashley’s annoyance, Monique quickly took the seat next to Shane while Vinnie, Tony and Marge sat across from them and the rest sat accordingly. 

Ashley noticed Shane take a heavy, ragged breath and realized what he was getting ready to do. She grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. 

“Tony, Marge. I need to apologize,” Shane began, looking down at his nearly empty plate. 

“There’s no need to apologize, Shane. We understand how difficult things got. We’re just glad you’re here now,” Tony said, waving his apology away. 

“No, Tony. I’m talking about Antony,” Shane explained, looking up at Tony. He couldn’t bear to look Marge in the eyes yet. 

“Heh, whatcha talkin’ about, Shane” Tony asked, confused about what Shane could have possibly done wrong to his best friend.

Shane sighed as his shoulders dropped heavily and he hung his head, “It’s my fault Antony died. If I hadn’t been driving drunk, no one would’ve gotten hurt and Antony wouldn’t have quit gridball.” 

Ashley put his arm around him as he started sobbing quietly. She had never seen him so open with a group of people but these were more family. Still, it hurt her to see Shane like this. 

Tony and Marge stared at Shane for a moment before looking at each other. Vinnie, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke up. 

“Shane, uh, it wasn’t your fault. See, he and Peggy, well, they was having a baby,” Vinnie explained. 

Shane looked up with a frown, “What? When? But he never said…”

“It was a few days before the car accident, Shane. Peggy told Antony she was pregnant so he planned to go into service to make enough money to take care of them. He didn’t want to tell you for fear that you’d drop out of gridball, too. Then, while you and Mona were in the hospital, he signed up. Antony died because some Gotoro soldier shot him. End of story,” Marge explained solemnly as a tear slipped down her cheek. 

Tony patted his wife’s hand, “We are so sorry you carried all this weight around for so long, Shane. Let it all go, son, and become part of the family again.”

Shane stood up suddenly, startling Ashley and Monique. “I need some air,” he said quickly before heading outside. 

“Please, excuse us,” Ashley apologized and stood quickly to follow. 

She ran out on the sidewalk, looking both ways for him and caught sight of his figure going back toward Zuzu. 

“Shane!” Ashley called out as she ran toward him. “Wait!” 

He stopped until she came up behind him. Ashley placed her hand on his arm, “Can I walk with you?” she asked quietly. 

Instead of answering, Shane turned to her, tears streaming down his cheeks and eyes red even in the streetlight. He looked at her as if to tell her the horrid lie he had been living with for years had eaten so much of him and he felt cheated that he would never be able to get it back. The look of utter despair that she had seen in his eyes before they were together had returned. 

“Oh, my love,” Ashley said as she hugged his waist. His arms held her tightly as if his unraveling world was slowly disappearing and he feared she would, too. She rocked him gently and let him cry for a few minutes longer until a car pulled up beside them. 

The window rolled down with Tony in the driver’s seat and Vinnie in the back. “Get in, Shane. We need to talk,” Tony commanded firmly and reached across the passenger seat to open the door. 

Shane gave a curt nod to him and kissed Ashley. “I’ll be alright. Go back to the house and wait for me there, okay? We’ll be back soon,” he instructed calmly before kissing the back of her hand and giving her a weak smile before getting in the car. 

Ashley watched them drive away and headed back to the house. Monique was sitting on the front step smoking a cigarette. 

She pulled a long drag before exhaling a large puff of smoke. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart. I guess we aren’t the perfect little family you thought we was, right? One big fucking happy family.” She flicked the ashes off her cigarette before taking another drag. 

“There’s no such thing as a perfect family, Mona. We’re all just doing the best we can, one day at a time,” Ashley said as she watched the tendrils of smoke drift up from Mona’s hand.

She scoffed, “Ain’t that the truth. Did you know, Shane and I was a thing for a while in high school? I thought we were gonna be together forever back then but then he got bossy and started telling me what I could or couldn’t do. And he got really jealous of any guy that talked to me.” Mona took one last drag off her cigarette before flicking it out on the sidewalk and blowing the smoke out slowly. 

Ashley just listened, intent on not taking much stock in what the woman was saying. It was obvious Monique still had feelings for Shane but she wouldn’t dare mention it. Clearly Mona was trying to scare her off. 

“Yeah, he started out a real charmer in the beginning but it wasn’t until months later, after the accident, that I said splits,” Monique finished before standing up and opening the door. She went inside and paused, waiting for Ashley to follow so she did. 

Marge was sitting on the couch with a large book in her lap when they came in. “Come sit with me Ashley, I want to show you some pictures of the family,” the woman said sweetly, patting the cushion beside her. 

Ashley smiled warmly and sat next to Marge and she placed the book in the middle of them. “These are my boys, Vinnie you know; he’s the small one. The older boy, here, is my Antony,” she began, pointing them out. 

The only difference between the boys was their height. They both looked so much alike, mostly like what she imagined Tony looking like at that age, it was uncanny. 

A few more pages in, the boys grew older and she recognized a young Shane with violet hair so dark it was nearly black. Her heart flipped at the sight and she wondered if their children would look more like their father, like this young Shane. She started blushing at the thought as Marge flipped through the pages, ending on the last. Ashley saw Antony in his uniform, very handsome indeed, with a spark in his eye despite the serious face he presented in the picture. She also saw a picture of Antony and Shane with Monique and, presumably, Patty. Shane had a cocky look on his face that made her smile but the way Monique looked at him with absolute admiration, clinging to his shirt like he would run away if he got the chance, concerned Ashley. It was similar to the way Mona looked at him now, confirming what she already knew.  _ This one is not my friend _ , Ashley thought when Marge closed the book suddenly, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Well, that’s enough of that one,” she said with a brave grin, putting the album on the end table. There was another book in her lap, a yearbook from Ashley’s high school.

“Hey! I went there, too, and this was my junior year!” Ashley said excitedly, “May I?” She ignored the overexaggerated yawn Monique was doing. No doubt, she had seen these pictures a thousand times but this was new and exciting to Ashley.

Marge nodded with a chuckle and handed the yearbook to her, “Of course. This was Vinnie’s junior year, too. Did you remember him?” She smiled at Ashley, amused at the idea that the girl that ended up marrying her adoptive son had known the Panitelli’s before she knew Shane.

Ashley was flipping through to the W’s when Tony, Shane and Vinnie came in and didn’t get a chance to answer. They were laughing and cutting up like kids, completely opposite their somber behavior from earlier. 

Shane came up behind Ashley so she leaned her head back to look up at him. “Hey, handsome. We’re looking at Vinnie’s yearbook. Apparently, we went junior year together at Zuzu City High School II.”

He smiled. “Cool. Let me see your picture,” he said then leaned down to grab a quick upside down kiss while Ashley had her head back. Then, squatting down, he rested his chin on her shoulder to get a better look.

Ashley recognized the smell of alcohol and sat up to look at him. “Have you been drinking?!” she demanded, frowning at the thought of him relapsing again. 

Shane stood back and put his hands up, “It was just a sip. We were celebrating with Antony. Honest, Ash, you can ask Tony and Vinnie. Antony got more than we did.” He looked sincere enough but Ashley held Tony and Vinnie accountable as well. She looked at each one in turn with a firm eye until they nodded and crossed their hearts. 

Convinced they were being truthful, she eased up and sat back to find her picture. Shane eased around to Ashley’s other side and sat, slipping his arm around her shoulders like she might still be upset. When she snuggled up next to him, Shane was able to smile again and skimmed the pages with her. 

“There,” he pointed to her picture a second before Ashley could. “You were cute back then, too,” Shane said with a goofy grin and kissed her temple. Her hair was black, cut above below her chin with bangs and she wore a black choker that had an ornate silver pendant dangling from it around her pale neck. 

Ashley wanted to smile but she tensed up at seeing her best friend’s picture next to hers. Shane noticed it and tried to help her through it like she does with him.

“There’s your buddy, Jarrod, isn’t it?” he asked, looking at the good-looking boy in the picture to the left of hers and thinking he was glad that her best friend preferred guys. He had bright eyes, a sleek face, narrow nose and thick, wavy locks of golden hair. 

Ashley sniffled and touched his picture, “Yeah, that’s Jarrod. Gosh, it’s been so long I’d nearly forgotten his face. Funny how time does that.” She suddenly remembered that there were other people in the room with them. She cleared her throat and forced a smile before chuckling nervously, “Let’s see if we can find Vinnie now.” 

Flipping back to the P’s, Marge picked him out quickly. As soon as Ashley saw the awkward boy in the picture, she suddenly remembered him. “Vincent Puh-telli! That’s what we used to call you!” Ashley said, looking up at Vinnie, “I can’t believe you didn’t say anything before!” Marge stood up and excused herself for a cup of coffee and gave Vinnie her seat. 

He came over and grinned bashfully, “When you came in with Shane the other week, I thought I remembered you so I went through my yearbook and there you were. We were Ms. Jalinsky’s…”

“...English class!” Ashley finished, giggling. “Do you remember when she gave us a pop-quiz the day before Spring break and the whole class snuck out, one at a time?” she asked with a huge grin.

Vinnie laughed, “Yeah! Yeah! She had fallen asleep at her computer. Someone said, when she woke up, she howled in anger at the empty room, like a wolf,” He shook his head while smiling and sighed. “You know, I had a crush on you back then but you were always with Jarrod and that Eric guy.”

Shane sat up and looked at Vinnie, “Don’t get any ideas now, Vin, we’re about to get married.” He said it seriously but they could tell he was kidding around. He didn’t feel threatened by Vinnie at all.

“You don’t have anything to worry about, Shane. When I say you are the only man I want, I mean it,” Ashley replied, to which Shane gave her a sweet kiss. 

Monique let out a loud snort, “Nobody wants to see that…” She got up and walked away, heels clicking loudly on the hardwood floor. 

Ignoring her, Shane went flipping through the yearbook, looking for more pictures of Vinnie and Ashley. They found a few photos here and there, most of the ones with Ashley also included Jarrod but there was one that really caught Shane’s eye. Ashley was laughing as a dark-haired boy wearing all black nuzzled her neck and Jarrod was rolling his eyes with a smirk on his face. It was actually a picture of Vinnie and one of his friends painted up for the high school gridball game and they happened to be in the background. 

“Who was that?” Shane asked, curiously. He couldn’t help but feel a little jealous since he had never heard about any of Ashley’s old boyfriends. They didn’t talk about past relationships but seeing it bothered him.

Ashley’s eyes furrowed, as she looked closely. “Oh, he was, uh, the guy I dated junior year. His family moved across the country the summer before senior year and we never heard from him again,” she couldn’t remember his last name, though, having been eight years ago and a lot had happened since then. “Again, nothing for you to worry about. That was a lifetime ago. You and Jas are my life now,” she added as she stroked Shane’s chin, calming him down.

They continued flipping through the yearbook for a few minutes until Marge came in to announce coffee was ready for anyone who wanted a cup. Shane stood up and stretched before holding his hand out to Ashley, pulling her to him. “You really won’t have a better cup of coffee than what the Panitelli’s serve,” he said matter of fact before whispering in her ear, “Besides, it’s getting late and we have plans.” His hand found her ass and gave it a light squeeze while no one was looking before he teased her with a quick but intimate kiss.

“You’re stomach hasn’t steered us wrong yet,” Ashley answered, hugging him to her and burying her head in his chest, “I love you so much.” 

He wrapped his arms around her tighter, “I love you, too. More than anything in the world.” He leaned back to look at her, imagining her with short, black hair and bangs.  _ Nah, I like the Ashley I have now. _ Shane smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead before grabbing her hand.

In the kitchen, the aroma of freshly-ground, roasted coffee beans hit them and Ashley couldn’t wait to try it. She wasn’t much of a coffee drinker but this she had to try and it lived up to her expectations. They chatted in the kitchen for a few minutes before moving back to the dining room when the topic of wedding plans came up. 

“So,” Tony, who was most eager to start planning the wedding, began, “Let’s get to the bones of this thing. Who’s catering the wedding?” He looked at the couple with excitement in his eyes.

Shane put his hand over his mouth and breathed out heavily through it. “Marnie kinda took the reins the day after she found out. Uh, Gus, I guess, would be the one catering,” he said, looking to Ashley for confirmation and help.

Ashley held his hand under the table. “Yes, Gus will cater. He’s got the only restaurant in town. As far as any other wedding plans go, well, we haven’t had much time to begin. Shane and I have been busy replanting crops the past week after the hurricane destroyed most of the farm.” Ashley didn’t want to think about how difficult this winter would have been without his help.

“Well, you two need to make some decisions. Yoba willing, you only get married once and you need to have things the way you want,” Marge spoke up and sighed, resting her elbow on the table to cradle her head, “What DO you want out of the ceremony?” 

Shane looked at Ashley, “Have you thought about it at all? Personally, a simple ceremony would be nice but I want you to be happy.”

“Good answer,” Ashley smiled before kissing Shane’s cheek. “I like the idea of a simple ceremony, too. I don’t want a huge, fluffy dress. I like purple asters and fairy lights. Outside of that, what else is there?” She looked around the table at the amusement on everyone’s faces and felt slightly embarrassed. 

Monique was the first to speak up, “You’re not fooling anyone, honey. Of course you want a big wedding with all the bells and whistles.” She had this smirk on her face suggesting she was just a simple farmer that didn’t know shit. 

Ashley took a deep internal breath before she spoke. “Actually, Monique, if Shane and I want a simple wedding, that’s exactly what we’re going to have.” She had actually planned her entire wedding out... senior year in high school. She and Jarrod, out of boredom, spent one spring day planning their simple ceremonies with each other being the Maid of Honor at the other’s wedding. Ashley had always pictured being a barefoot bride in a simple, flowy dress covered with a ring of wildflowers. Jarrod thought it was too simple but his idea wasn’t much different. He was at least going to wear flip-flops and get married on the beach. 

Vinnie snorted at the look on Monique’s face, nose sneered back and eyes wide. Ashley was sure no one disagreed or challenged her often. She opened her mouth to reply but closed it instead, muttering something under her breath. 

Tony laughed aloud to break the tension, “Alright, you two. Settle down.” He turned to Ashley, asking seriously, “Have you thought about who’s going to walk you down the aisle?”

Actually, she had given this a lot of thought. “Well, I haven’t heard back from him yet, but I’m hoping my Uncle Bill will. I really don’t have any other options...” she said, playing with her coffee cup handle while holding back her tears. Shane squeezed her hand and kissed her head.

“I’m sure we’ll hear from him, Ash, don’t worry,” Shane comforted. He made a note to personally call her Uncle Bill first thing Monday. 

Tony looked at his wife with a sad face. When she nodded, he turned back to Ashley, “If you don’t hear from your Uncle Bill, I would like the honor. You don’t have to decide anything now, just, let me know and I’ll be there for you guys.” 

Ashley couldn’t hold back the tears now and let them fall as Shane sat still, looking at the incredible man that was more of a father to him than his own had been. “Thank you, Tony. Remember when we talked at the restaurant? You reminded me so much of my uncle...If he doesn’t agree, I would be honored if you would give me away,” Ashley choked out, putting her hand on Tony’s and giving him a warm smile.

Marge added her hand to theirs, “You are family, Ashley. We take care of our own. And, while you won’t have the Panitelli name, you definitely have our spirit.” She smiled at Ashley much like her mother used to, making her cry more.

A quarter past midnight, Shane announced they needed to get back to the hotel. “We have a movie date with Princess Jas Friday night that we cannot be late for,” he added with a smile. 

As they were passing through the living room, Ashley noticed Monique flipping through Vinnie’s yearbook. She waved goodbye to the couple, looking at Ashley with a devious grin on her face before putting the book down and walking out with the crowd. Vinnie offered to drive them back to the hotel instead of them having to call a cab so they piled into his car after saying their goodbyes. Monique came up to Shane’s window and leaned over, her breasts pressed together by her crossed arms. He looked straight ahead, knowing Ashley was watching closely from the back seat. 

“Bye, Shane. Don’t be a stranger, ‘kay,” Monique crooned. She looked back at Ashley, “See you soon.” With that, she backed up to the porch where Ashley watched Marge speak harshly to Mona before waving goodbye.

“Whew!” Vinnie exclaimed, shaking his head. “That Mona. She may be family but she’s a barracuda, that one. You sure dodged a bullet, Shane. Uh, no offense, Ashley, but she never got over him after he broke it off,” Vinnie said. 

Ashley just nodded, thinking about what Vinnie just said.  _ Mona told me SHE broke it off with Shane...she’s definitely up to something… _ “I’m not worried about Mona. In three weeks, after the wedding, we'll never have to see her again,” she said quietly.  _ It would be a gift from Yoba if she would lose her invitation to the wedding. _

\-----

During the short ride to the hotel, Ashley listened to the boys chat while she thought about Mona and the look she gave her when they left. She had found something in that yearbook and had a plan, that much was becoming clear.  _ What could Mona possibly find in that book that would get rid of me in three weeks? _ She thought about that a moment and considered what could be accomplished in three weeks. Shane and Ashley had been officially dating for a shorter time before their engagement, so a lot.

The passenger door opened and Shane popped his head in. “Hey, Ash. You coming?” he asked, concerned slightly at her lack of awareness.

Ashley smiled up at him. “Yeah, just thinking,” she replied, not wanting to accuse Monique of anything without proof. She took his hand and scooted out. 

Vinnie had come around and gave them each hugs before jumping back in and heading home. Shane had one arm around Ashley’s shoulder and was waving with the other hand. 

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked as they turned to walk inside. Shane was hoping that she wasn’t going to her depressed places after pulling up difficult memories tonight. 

“Yeah, that was just a lot. Fun but a lot,” Ashley replied with a weak smile. They walked over to the elevator and she watched the door open. 

As soon as they stepped in, Shane pulled her to him, planting sweet kisses on her lips and face before moving to her neck. At first, Ashley was slow to get into it but by the time Shane’s hands made their way to her breast, his mouth found hers again and a warmth had sprung between her legs.

The elevator dinged, doors opening way too slow as they pushed through them impatiently to get to their room. Shane fumbled with his card key as Ashley kissed his neck and started unbuttoning his jeans, not wanting to waste any time. They barely made it in the door before Ashley felt something off about how wet she was getting.  _ Fuck! Not now! _

“I need to go to the bathroom. It’s an emergency,” Ashley said quickly, running to the door and shutting it behind her. She went to the toilet and pulled down her pants to see a spot of red. “Fuck!” she said loudly.

Shane was on the other side of the door and knocked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

“I just started my period,” Ashley whined, cleaning up and getting undressed. “I’m going to jump in the shower. Would you bring my purse in and put it on the sink, Please?” she asked pitifully, upset that their plans for the night were ruined.

It took Shane a moment to answer and when he did, he simply said, “Okay.” 

Ashley turned the water on and started crying. It was a silly thing to get upset about; these things happened but the timing really sucked. The hot water felt good on her back, soothing her nerves a little, so she started washing the cigarette smell out of her hair. With her head in the water, she didn’t hear the door open but noticed Shane’s shadow on the other side of the frosted glass.

“Thank you. I’m sorry I ruined our night,” Ashley began but the shower door opened and Shane stepped in to join her. He didn't appear to have lost much momentum with how quickly the blood was returning to his extremities. 

The look on his face was sultry as he grabbed the bar of soap and began lathering his hands. “You didn’t ruin the night,” he said with a growing smile on his face. 

Shane placed the bar back on and began to wash Ashley’s body, starting with her breasts and playing with her nipples until they hardened before working to her stomach and slipping his arms around to her back. She watched his green eyes dance between hers and her lips as he rubbed the soap up and down her back, pressing her breasts against his chest. Finally, Shane’s lips found hers and kissed her deeply, pulling a moan from her mouth. The water ran between their faces as their tongues played with each other’s mouth. Shane lathered up with more soap and took her hand, guiding her to wash him until he was fully erect.

“I have been looking forward to feeling you raw, with nothing between us, and we’re safe to do that now,” Shane whispered into her ear, making her breast heave at the thought. “Do you want me like this, Ashley?” he asked as his fingers danced along the inside of her legs, teasing her until she ached.

“Yes,” she finally managed, panting fast now, “I love the way you feel inside me and I want you all the time.” Ashley kissed him intimately and writhed at his touch.

Shane picked her leg up and slid in easily but the feeling nearly made him double over. It was more intense than anything he had felt before and he tried to keep a slow and steady pace but Ashley felt so damn good, he struggled. His head rolled as he fought the urge to empty himself inside her right now burying his face in her neck. 

Her back arched against the shower tile as she held onto his neck for support. Her whole midsection and hips burned with waves of white-hot heat as Shane touched everything inside her. It was the most intimate skin-to-skin contact they could get with each other and she didn’t want it to stop but her climax came over her as those white-hot waves surged throughout her body. She bounced and moved her hips to keep it coming and felt Shane finally release with her. The pulse from his ejaculation took her by surprise and she dug her nails into his back. 

“Fuck, yes, Shane!” Ashley called out, moaning and panting loudly. 

“Ungh… Damn, Ash,” Shane replied as he filled her up. 

Shane shook in her arms so Ashley combed his hair with her hand and kissed his neck. They held each other tight while Shane softened. Taking the soap in her hand, she began to wash the areas she could reach while she hugged him to her and Shane relaxed. Ashley felt him kiss her shoulder before standing up and smiling lovingly at her. 

“That was amazing,” Shane said, watching Ashley as he rinsed his back and wet his hair. 

“Fucking amazing,” she replied with a kiss, giving him some shampoo. 

It was difficult for either of them to stop looking at the other, smiling at the closeness they had just shared. After they showered, got dressed and ready for bed, Shane and Ashley lay facing each other, arms around each other and still riding the high.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me,” Shane asked quietly, knowing absolutely that, after this day, his life would be nothing without her.

Ashley smiled lovingly and stroked his cheek before combing her fingers through his hair. “I promise I will never leave you. You are mine and I am yours, forever and always, Shane,” she replied, sealing the promise with a kiss.


	13. Stardew Valley Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jas spends her first night at the farmhouse the day before the Stardew Valley Festival. Things seem to be going pretty well until the judging begins...

“Are you sure? What if she doesn’t like it?” Ashley asked as she fluffed the frilly pink pillow and laid it on the bed with the others. “I thought this would be easy, me being a girl and all, too, but I don’t know half of what she likes.”

Shane stopped her, rubbing her arms and looking her straight in the eyes. “Jas is a great kid and she appreciates things more than typical six-year olds do. She’ll love it,” he assured her as he pulled her into a giant bear hug. 

Ashley listened to Shane’s steady heartbeat as she lay on his chest, “I just want her to feel welcome here when we get married in two weeks. Like she has a place here at the farmhouse, too.” 

She looked around the room she had Robin build for Jas and sighed. The carpenter had done a terrific job adding Jas’s bedroom, a spare bedroom and a joint bathroom. The only problem she had was with the painted wildflower, dandelion and cloud motifs she had painted herself. Originally, she was going to have Leah do it but, with the lack of funds due to the damages to her farm, she ended up doing it herself. She sighed again so Shane lifted her chin.

“Hey, it looks great, Ash,” Shane said before bringing her up for a peck. He moved her arms around his neck and wrapped his around her waist, deepening the kiss. 

It had been a week since they spent that amazing night together in the city and he was happy for the weekend to come back around, even if the Stardew Valley Festival was tomorrow. “I have missed you all week,” he murmured into her ear when their cheeks passed on his way to kiss her neck.

“We’ve seen each other all week, how can you miss me?” Ashley teased as he moved his kisses down her neck to her chest. Her eyes rolled back, loving the feel of his stubble as his lips moved across her skin.

Shane’s hand moved her backside and squeezed, “You know what I mean, my beautiful succubus. Are you sure you still want Jas to stay the night tonight? I can think of all manner of things we can do after Marnie gets home.”

“Ew, that’s weird,” Ashley said, pushing him back playfully but he held her waist so she couldn’t get away.

Shane put his head back and chuckled with embarrassment. “That sounded different in my head,” He said before looking back at her, “What I meant to say is, when Marnie gets home, she can watch Jas tonight and I can spend two nights with you instead of one.”

Ashley shook her head, “As tempting as that is, a promise is a promise. Friday nights are Jas’s nights to stay over and Saturday’s are your nights until you get me every...single...night.” She gave him three kisses with each of the last three words.

“I know it’s early yet but have you heard from your sister Keelie or your Uncle Bill about whether they’re coming to the wedding or not?” Shane asked, not wanting to dampen the mood but they were the only two people on her guest list that were family out of the ten people she sent invites to.

Her smile faltered a little, “No. Not yet. I’ve gotten messages from a couple of other people but, like you said, it’s still early.” She rested her forehead on his chin so he kissed it.

“Come on, let’s not keep the princess waiting too long for her surprise,” Shane said before a final kiss, holding Ashley’s hand and interlacing their fingers. 

They made their way to Marnie’s ranch a few minutes early and Jas ran up to Shane immediately. “I’m ready to stay at Aunt Ashley’s tonight! My bag is packed. I have my clothes, pajamas, toothbrush, book and my favorite teddy! Oh, and my special bunny slippers!” Jas rambled excitedly. The smile on his niece’s face was almost worth the extra night waiting to be with his fiancee. 

“Good job, Jazzy Bear! Let’s go say goodnight to Aunt Marnie and we’ll go grab the pizza, okay?” Shane said with a big smile. 

Jas nodded quickly and skipped to the kitchen where Marnie was rinsing the last of the dishes. She dried her hands on the towel and turned to hug Jas, squeezing her before letting her bounce back over to hold Ashley’s hand. Jas smiled up at her with the happiest smile she had ever seen from this little girl and it warmed her heart completely, differently than the way Shane does but just as fully.

“I’m ready, Aunt Ashley,” Jas said sweetly, her bag in hand.

Shane took Jas’s overnight bag from her and slung it over his shoulder so he could hold her other hand. “Have a good night off, Marnie. We’ll see you in the morning to get ready for the festival,” Shane said before they headed out. 

“You kids have fun, too! Don’t let her stay up too late or have sugar right before bed!” Marnie called after them and chuckled. She watched the three of them walk off, already looking like a family and Marnie realized that she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. 

They walked hand in hand to town toward the Saloon to pick up the pizza. Since the Saloon was still a bar, Shane left the ladies outside to sit on the park bench while he went inside. When he came back out, his girls were huddled together, giggling on the bench.

Shane smiled as he came around and saw their happy faces, “Looks like you two have a case of the giggles.” It still amazed him how well they got on.

Ashley stood up and put Jas’s bag on her shoulder. She smiled at Shane, who stole a quick kiss, and held her hand out for Jas. Onward they went, hand in hand again, discussing what movie Jas wanted to watch this week. 

“Vincent told me about a movie about toys that come alive and get lost from their boy. He said there’s a cowboy, an astronaut and a slinky dog. I want to watch that one!” Jas described a movie Ashley was familiar with, having watched it at the theater...as well as the sequels.

When they got to the porch, Shane took his key out and unlocked the front door. Before opening it, he turned to Jas, “Are you ready for Aunt Ashley’s surprise?”

Jas jumped up and down, “Yes, yes, yes, please!” The grin on the girl’s face was huge as she clasped her hands together.

He opened the front door and let the girls in first, dropping the pizza off at the new dining table before following them to the closed door on the other side of the kitchen. 

“Open it, Jas,” Ashley smiled as she held Shane’s hand. 

The little girl opened the door slowly and her eyes got so wide, they were afraid they would pop out of her head. She gasped as she walked in, fingering the pink bedspread and pillows while she looked at the flower painted walls, circling as she went. When Jas made it full-circle, she had tears in her eyes and looked at the smiling people who had made this all happen. 

Running up to Ashley, she hugged her legs tightly, “Thank you so much, Aunt Ashley! I love you! It’s the prettiest room I’ve ever seen!” Jas gave a little hiccup as she wiped her eyes and smiled. 

“We’re glad you like it, Jazzy Bear. We wanted you to have your own place here with us, too. The farmhouse is your home as well, sweetheart,” Ashley said, lovingly rubbing her head. “Now, you can sit on your bed if you want. Look around and get used to it while Uncle Shane and I get the pizza and movie ready,” she said, kissing Jas on the forehead and smiling sweetly before Jas danced off to look around at her new room.  _ This little girl has my heart around her finger already. _

Shane was quietly watching, having nearly choked at hearing Jas telling Ashley she loved her. They would need to have the conversation about Jas’s parents sooner rather than later, as taken to Ashley as the girl was.

Shane got dinner ready while Ashley rented the movie and they settled in for the night. Jas took her usual spot between her aunt and uncle while they ate their pizza and watched the movie. There was only one bathroom break during the movie. 

Afterwards, without being asked, Jas skipped to her new bathroom where she had placed her hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste and got ready for bed. She came out in her pajamas and jeweled bunny slippers, turning circles.

“Tada!” Jas announced giddily. “I’m all ready to sleep in my new bedroom, Aunt Ashley!” she said before running up and jumping in her lap for hugs and kisses.

Shane started pouting, sticking out his bottom lip and looking sad, “Jazzy Bear! What about your poor Uncle Shane? Do I not get goodnight hugs and kisses?” He was joking, of course, but Jas was serious when she replied.

“You silly billy, of course I’ll give you hugs and kisses. Aunt Ashley gets them first because she gave me a new bedroom and a bathroom, too,” Jas said politely before climbing up in his lap and whispering, “I love you most but don’t tell Aunt Ashley, okay?”

Shane laughed his deep, smooth laugh and hugged Jas, “You are my favorite little girl, you know? I love you, Jas.”

Ashley always enjoyed watching the two of them and tonight was no exception. Still, they needed to get to bed and there was still the question of who would read the bedtime story. “Jas, does that mean Uncle Shane gets to read the bedtime story?” she asked with a grin.

Uncle Shane read to Jas before they tucked her in, closing the door a little ways before sneaking out to clean up dinner mess and get ready for bed. Shane peeked one last time to see if she was asleep before joining Ashley in the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

When Shane slid into bed his feet were cold but Ashley didn’t mind. He snuggled up to her and put a hand on her hip, “I’m ninety percent sure she’s really asleep. If we’re quiet, we can make love tonight,” he said quietly, green eyes sparkling in anticipation. 

The look on Shane’s face reminded her of an overly excitable puppy and she couldn’t help but grin playfully. “I can be quiet if you can,” Ashley answered, kissing him sweetly as Shane wrapped his arms around her.

\-----

They awoke the next morning to the alarm and a soft knocking at the door. “Aunt Ashley? Uncle Shane? I’m hungry,” Jas soft voice came through the door.

Shane woke immediately at hearing Jas’s voice, “I’m coming, Jazzy Bear. One minute, okay?” He turned to wake Ashley and stopped at the sight of her lips parted slightly, hair splayed out on the pillow to frame her face perfectly. She was sleeping so peacefully. If the Stardew Valley Festival wasn’t today, he’d let her sleep in. 

“Hey, beautiful. Time to get up,” he said, gently stroking her cheek with his fingers.  _ She has really great skin, so soft _ .

Ashley’s eyes opened to find Shane’s handsome face staring at her and a soft rapping at their door. “Hey, handsome. The princess awaits?” she asked sleepily. 

Shane nodded as he marveled at his beautiful fiancee before leaning down for a simple kiss. Then, jumping up out of bed, he went to the door and unlocked it. “Gooood morning, princess! Have you got your morning stuff done?” he asked, hugging his niece.

Jas smiled up at him and went ‘eeee’ to show him her brushed teeth before smiling at Aunt Ashley, who had walked over to join them. “Good morning, miss Jas! Did you sleep well?” she asked, cupping her face and smiling at the sweet girl.

“Yes, ma’am. Like a baby! Now I’m hungry. What’s for breakfast?” Jas asked with a huge grin.

After Shane’s breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast paired with some strawberry jelly from Pierre’s, they loaded up the items for Magpie Farm’s grange display in two crates and a small box for Jas before heading to Marnie’s. From there, they helped her load the tractor’s trailer and rode it into town. Once everything was unloaded, Jas was excited to go play with her friend, Vincent, at the animal display.

“Good luck, Ash. We’ll see you at the judging,” Shane said, stealing a kiss before wishing Marnie good luck as well and walking Jas over to the animals.

“Looks like you were able to pull through with some things from your farm after all. I’m glad to see it!” Marnie said as she looked over at the items Ashley was putting up.

“Well, it’s the best I could do this year but I’m impressed by yours, though. That cheese wheel is huge!” Ashley giggled, just happy to be here. Today marked two weeks until the wedding and she felt like they were behind with everything, especially since she hadn’t heard from the two members of her family she cared most about coming.

Marnie chuckled, “Yeah, well. We’ll see what the judges think. Pierre almost always wins. If either of us beats him this year, I’ll be happy.” She winked at Ashley and walked off to let Lewis know they were ready for judging.

Ashley was trying to figure out how best to display her produce when she heard someone behind her say, “That’s a pretty good looking crop for a city girl.” 

She turned around and saw a familiar face she thought she’d never see again, not in a million years. His hair was shorter than she remembered, still black but buzz cut on the sides and left long on the top, combed back neatly. He had a few more piercings in his face than she remembered but the same keen, black eyes and thin lips curled up in a smile. He had his thumbs hooked through the belt loops on his skin-tight black jeans, tight-fitting white button-up shirt tucked in with black suspenders and black Doc Martens. It was like he’d walked out of one of the pages of her yearbook. Flooded with all the emotions at once, she just stared at him before his name finally came to her lips, “Eric? What are you doing here?” 

He chuckled before taking a few steps forward, “I heard you had moved here recently and, when I found out about the Festival, thought I’d surprise you.” Looking at her a moment longer, seeing Ashley for the first time in eight years, Eric felt his pale face flush as he remembered their past having never forgotten Ashley.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Ashley,” Eric said before reaching up to touch her hair. “Except that. You let it grow out its natural color. It’s cute.” He couldn’t help but stare at Ashley, seeing her in person for the first time in eight years. It was better than he’d dreamed…  _ She’s still so beautiful... _

Ashley noticed how Eric looked at her like when they had dated…  _ a lifetime ago _ … and furrowed her brows in confusion, “The last time we saw you, your family moved across the country, like eight years ago. I don’t believe for a moment you flew across the country just to see me. I just...why? Why now?” 

Marnie had made her way back over to her display and was listening in on their conversation but she didn’t care. She had nothing to hide from Shane. 

He smiled in amusement at her reaction, “No, I didn’t fly across the country. When I moved back to Zuzu a few years ago, I looked for you and Jarrod. By the time I found where you were, Jarrod had just died and you dropped off the face of the earth. What happened, Ashley?” 

Ashley’s face flushed red at the thought that Eric had come looking for her after all that time but she shook her head. She was marrying the man she loved in two weeks. If there was ever a chance for Eric and Ashley to rekindle something, they had missed it. 

“After Jarrod died, I went to a dark place. Then, after recovery, my parents died, I moved here for a fresh start and met someone. We’re getting married in two weeks. That’s pretty much all there is to know,” she explained, plainly.

Eric’s face dropped but he kept his amused smile, “Is that so?” He reached out to finger the Mermaid Pendant on her neck about the same time Shane and Jas were heading back and came into view. “You really love this guy?” He said, coming out more as a statement than a question, as he dropped the pendant to fall back at her neck.

“Yes, Eric. Shane is everything to me. You and I had fun in high school but then you disappeared for eight years and I moved on,” Ashley replied straightforward. She challenged his gaze and felt her defensive walls harden.

Before Eric could say anything else, Shane had dropped Jas off with Marnie and stepped up. “Is everything okay, Ash,” Shane asked as he came up to her with a look like he was about to stomp this punk in the ground for even breathing the same air as her. 

“I’m alright, love. Eric is an old friend from high school. He dropped by the festival for a surprise visit,” Ashley explained as calmly as possible, putting the pieces together. _That bitch_ _Monique did this, I know it._ Ashley slipped her hand in Shane’s and squeezed but his gaze narrowed.

“Eric? The same Eric from that yearbook picture?” Shane asked, looking to Ashley for her reaction. She suddenly felt like she was under scrutiny for a crime she hadn’t committed and frowned at him perplexed, recoiling her hand.

Eric smiled, appearing to be amused by the whole situation, but not wanting to be punched in the face, he said politely, “Apparently there has been some miscommunication. I was operating under the impression that Ashley was looking for me but, clearly, I was misinformed. It was nice to see you again, Ashley. I wish you both the best in your marriage.” Giving a curt bow, Eric walked away.

Shane didn’t take his eyes off of Eric until he was out of sight. Turning to Ashley and getting close to her face, he hissed quietly, “What the fuck, Ashley?” It made him so fucking angry, the way that punk stood there, looking at  _ his fiancee _ , like he was getting ready to take her away. She didn’t even  _ try  _ to tell him off...

Ashley scoffed and frowned in confusion, hissing back, “I don’t fucking know, Shane!” Her stern and confused stare matching his own.  _ Why is he behaving so erratically? _ She thought about what Monique had said about Shane getting jealous easily. __

He looked around for a quiet place to talk and pulled her by the arm behind the Mullner’s house. “Your ex shows up two weeks before our wedding saying you’ve been looking for him.  _ Have  _ you been looking for him, Ash? Are you having second thoughts about us?” Shane asked as he paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair. He knew that, sooner or later, he’d wake up but not like this. Ashley could have her pick of any guy and here was the one she’d had a shared past with. _ She must have wanted to see him again, why else would he be here? _

The pain in his voice was unbearable and hot tears stung her eyes, “Let me make two things clear: First, I’m not having second thoughts about us! I love you and only you, Shane. Second, I have  _ not  _ been looking for my ex-boyfriend. Frankly, I’m fucking pissed that you would take some stranger’s word over your fiancee’s.” Ashley was getting mad at the thought of Monique laughing at them and their spat, waiting for Shane to run back to the city into her arms.

Shane turned to her pleading, with tears in his eyes, “Then why did he say you were looking for him? It’s not a coincidence that he shows up the week after we see a picture of you two. Explain that to me, Ashley. Why is he here, now?”  _ Put me out of my misery, please... _

“I told you I don’t know,” Ashley was rubbing her face, trying to figure out how to get it through his thick skull that Eric’s arrival was just as a surprise to her as it was to him. “Shane, I swear to you that I have not been looking for him but I do have an idea why he’s here. Think about it. We saw the yearbook photo at the Panitelli’s and Monique had her eyes on you all night, practically throwing herself at you, and now my ex boyfriend shows up out of the blue. What do YOU think is going on here?” Ashley tried explaining but it seemed his jealousy was raging too wildly for him to listen to reason.

He shook his head, laughing cruelly, “Un-fucking-believable, Ashley. You can’t possibly think Mona would do something like this. You know what I think? When you saw that picture, you wanted to find him again. Maybe you wanted one last fling before we got married, I don’t know, Ashley. I thought I knew you...I loved you and I thought we had something special but I guess I’m just another chump. If you want Eric back, he can have you.” The fact that Ashley would try to pin this on Mona… real cheap. Apparently, she was just as fucked up as he was but he was done. It was better for him to find out what kind of woman Ashley was before they got married. 

The words he spit out at her came like daggers that pierced her heart to the core. “I don’t WANT Eric, I want you, Shane. Why can’t you see what’s right in front of you?” Ashley pleaded, grasping at anything to get him to understand what she was saying. She held onto his hand, trying to connect with something before she lost him.

Shane scoffed in reply, adding, “Oh, I can see clearly what’s right in front of me…” He was surprised he couldn’t see it before, at the Panitelli’s. The way she looked at the photos of Eric, pretending to sniffle at missing her best friend, Jarrod. He was even beginning to doubt that Jarrod was even gay… maybe she dated both of those guys. The thought that everything Ashley had told him about her past could be a lie made him so angry he could spit fire.

The rage in Shane’s eyes said he was too hurt at the thought of her having betrayed him and Ashley knew, at that moment, he had given them up. Marnie’s words burned in her brain, making it impossible to stand here any longer.

“You wanted me to tell you when you started fucking this up,” Ashley said before slapping him across the face. “There’s your notice, ass-hole,” she choked out between sobs before storming away. 

If Shane or anyone else spoke to Ashley after their argument, she didn’t know. Once past the crowds, she ran straight to the farm, eyes blinded by tears and her whole body filled with a rage and pain she had felt only twice before in her whole life. 

Back at the farmhouse, Ashley went directly to her bedroom where she packed as many clothes and toiletries as she could fit in her duffle bag. She scribbled a note, took the Mermaid Pendant off her neck along with the engagement ring and left them on the center of the bed for Shane to find if he came looking for her. Buttons came up to her, rubbing her leg affectionately but Ashley was shaking too badly to pet her. She grabbed the dry cat food bag and filled Buttons’ food bowl before grabbing her keys, phone and purse, locking the door behind her. The bus today was running every two hours and was due to stop soon so she sat underneath the trees across the road hugging her knees up while she waited. Where in the city she would go, it didn’t matter as long as it was away from this damned place. There was nowhere in the whole world for her now. She was completely untethered from anyone and everything.

The tears kept flowing down her cheeks as she thought about Shane’s accusations. How dare he? She had promised him and Jas her whole world and only asked for his love in return. She had loved him wholly, fully and unconditionally, as if he were the only man in the world because he was to her before he threw it all back in her face. Just like that, everything she had worked to build in the past eight months, destroyed by one big, fucked up misunderstanding and she knew who had done it.

The dingy, white bus pulled up with its screeching air brakes. Ashley remembered her promise to never leave Shane and started to cry again. But that promise was made with the understanding that he wouldn’t call bullshit on their whole relationship two weeks before getting married. I mean, why wouldn’t he call bullshit after the first hiccup of their oh, so fucking perfect love affair? They had only been dating for a month and they were already getting married. Was their whole relationship built on physical attraction after all? Ashley refused to believe that but Shane must have, giving her up like he did.  _ He didn’t even fight for us…the fucking coward copped out on me at my expense...Marnie warned you but you didn’t listen... _

Ashley waited for the driver’s last call before standing up, just in case Shane realized his mistake. Then, using the inside hem of her shirt to wipe her eyes and nose, she walked across the road to board the bus, taking one last glance toward town.  _ He’s not coming _ . One last tear fell down her cheek before the bus door closed behind her and she was gone. 

\-----

Shane held his face where she slapped him, stinging and burning. He wiped the tears from his eyes and realized Ashley had walked away. “Ashley!” he called but she was nowhere to be seen.  _ Fuck! She’s probably running to that asshole, Eric, right now. I hope they’re miserable together, _ Shane thought as he made his way back to Marnie and Jas. His cheek still stung but he didn’t acknowledge it. 

“Where’s Aunt Ashley?” Jas asked with big eyes, knowing they had been fighting.

“She, uh...went home, Jas. Not feeling well,” Shane lied, not wanting to ruin her first Stardew Festival like Ashley had ruined his, not that he cared. 

Marnie was quiet as she reached in her pocket and silently handed Ashley’s second place tokens to Shane. He took them and she turned back to the grange display. 

Shane looked at the tokens in his hand. “Who won?” he asked, trying to gauge Marnie’s mood.

“Ashley won second place and wanted Jas to have the tokens. Take your niece around the Festival while I clear these out,” she replied. Her poker face was on point but Shane knew she was upset.

“Thanks. We’ll be around. Come on Jas,” Shane said, holding Jas’s hand before moving off and letting her lead the way.

He kept looking around for Ashley, in case she was wondering the grounds but he never saw her. Shane did see Eric speaking to someone. When they rounded the corner, he was relieved to see Sebastian conversing with him excitedly. Shane snorted at the sight.  _ Of course, freaks alike, I guess, _ he thought. Jas went around for about an hour before they ran out of tokens and headed back to Marnie’s tractor. 

Along the way, Shane noticed Eric leaving toward the bus stop alone and he wondered if he was actually going out to Ashley’s house.  _ He wouldn’t know where she lives. He’s taking the bus back to Zuzu, dumbass. _ Putting Jas up on the trailer, Shane started loading the crates and boxes they’d brought with them and climbed up. 

It was late in the afternoon before they all made it back to the ranch and Shane felt a strong urge to check on Ashley. They quickly unloaded the grange display items, putting Ashley’s off to the side to return later. 

“You two had an argument. It happens, Shane,” Marnie told him, not seeming to be as worried as before. “Trust me, it won’t be the last. And, for the record, she wasn’t interested in that boy. She was genuinely surprised to see him but she wasn’t jumping all over him either.”

Shane thought about what Marnie hadn’t heard behind the Mullner’s and wasn’t so sure. He had been so pissed at seeing Eric that he couldn’t remember what he said but he was pretty sure he had broken up with Ashley with the way she stormed away. He’d never seen her so upset and was worried she might do something rash. 

“It still doesn’t explain why he said Ashley was looking for him. Why would she? I mean, she mentioned having one serious relationship in high school and I’m pretty sure this guy was it. We all see them in that picture at the Panitelli’s and he shows up a week later,” Shane puzzled aloud, trying to get the trailer unhooked from the tractor but he’s too worried about Ashley and in a hurry that it kept slipping.

Marnie stopped to look at him, “Shane, I was there. He said he was under the impression that she was looking for him. Maybe someone sent him, who knows, but I don’t think for a second that Ashley would go looking for love when she’s got you. Shane, honey, you have never been happier than when you’re with that girl and she hasn’t anyone else in the whole world but us. Don’t give her up based on some stranger’s word over hers. Go talk to her, make up. I’ll finish up here.” 

Shane frowned as he considered Marnie’s words. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions but something about the whole situation still seemed off. “Thanks, Marnie. I’ll let you know what happens and whether I’ll be sleeping here tonight or not,” he said before jogging toward the trail they had worn between the houses. 

All Shane could see as he walked along was the look of anguish on her face as he spat his accusations at her. He just hoped he wasn’t too late to make an apology. The thought of losing Ashley to another man, someone she had a shared past with, was painful enough for him but if he had driven her away because of unwarranted jealousy, that was unbearable.

The farmhouse came into view, and he noticed the lights were off.  _ It’s too early, dumbass. _ The closer he got, the more he was at unease. As Shane ascended the steps, it was still and quiet but he fished out his key and unlocked the door. Buttons rushed up to him and rubbed his leg, purring loudly. He reached down to scratch underneath her chin and noticed the surplus of food poured out in the bowl, spilling out onto the floor and swallowed hard. Standing up, Shane listened for any noise other than the purring kitten but there was nothing. 

“Ashley?” Shane called out and waited for a reply.  _ She’s probably in the bathroom _ , he thought as he made his way to their bedroom but he could see the door was open before he entered. The house was dark and quiet because it was empty...

A glint of blue and a piece of paper on the center of the bed caught his attention and Shane felt his heart drop to his stomach.  _ No, please…  _ He picked up the Mermaid Pendant and her ring and held them in one hand before picking up the paper. Turning it over, he read:

“Shane, I will never stop loving you but you broke my heart when you gave me up today. I’m moving back to the city, leaving the farmhouse to you and Jas. Please tell her I’m sorry and thank Marnie for everything. - Ashley”

Shane went to sit on the bed but missed and fell to the floor instead as his fist closed around the note, her engagement ring and pendant. He started sobbing uncontrollably at his stupidity and realized he had, in fact, driven Ashley away.  _ I don’t want anyone but you,  _ he’d heard her say again and again but it wasn’t until now that he realized he hadn’t truly believed her. 

If Shane had a spoon, he would dig his heart out of his chest to keep from feeling the excruciating pain ripping at his insides. Ashley had nowhere else to go and he had done the worst possible thing to the one woman who loved him,  _ all of him, _ despite his failings. At the first bump in their relationship, he had buckled under the pressure and accused his fiancee of wanting another man instead of fighting for her, fighting for them. 

“Ahhhhh!” Shane screamed out in agony as his heart threatened to implode in his chest. He fumbled for his phone and tried to pull up Ashley’s contact but couldn’t see for the tears.  _ The bus stop! Maybe you can still catch her.... _

Pushing himself up, he slipped the pendant, ring and note in his pocket and stumbled out the door, running all the way to the bus stop. When he got there, the only thing he saw was the exhaust but he kept going, sprinting after the bus as if his life depended on it...and it did if that was the bus Ashley was on. He remembered seeing Eric head to the bus stop and pushed himself harder.  _ They’re probably on the bus together now... _

The bus was gaining momentum by the time he had rounded the dirt road so there was no way of catching it. Shane started to slow down when his lungs burned so badly he couldn’t breathe. He stopped in the middle of the road, squinting to see if he could recognize anyone but the only person he saw was a dark figure standing up from the back of the bus to change seats closer up.  _ Fuck! _

Shane started sobbing uncontrollably as he stood in the road watching it drive away, heaving to catch his breath.  _ Get to Marnie, she’ll know what to do, _ he thought as he started his way back to the farmhouse. As soon as he caught his breath again, he started jogging, trying to get to the woman who would know what to do. __

“Marnie!” he cried out, swinging the door open wide. He fell to his knees as she came running into the hallway after him with Jas close behind her. 

“Shane! What’s wrong?” Marnie asked but the look on his face told her what she already knew.  _ Oh, no. _ Her hands went up to her mouth, “Shane, honey, what have you done?”

Shane looked up at her, his face twisted horribly in torment, “I fucked up, Marnie. Ashley’s gone.”


	14. Too Little, Two Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley ends up on the bus with Eric and they spend time catching up while Shane realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life.

Eric sat hunched on the bus in the back seat texting on his phone when Ashley boarded with a single bag. He recognized the look on her face. It was similar to the look she had when he left with his family to move across the country. This look, however, was full of deep hurt; the kind that doesn’t go away after a few years. 

He felt like shit having been used to end the happiness of the girl he’d once loved and lost. Of course, he didn’t realize he’d been used until her fiancé came up and recognized him. He tried to fix it, tried to leave before it got worse but apparently this guy didn’t care as deeply for Ashley as he led her to believe if she was on the bus now. 

Eric watched her stare out the window, clutching her bag to her chest as if she were afraid it would leave her, too. With a deep sigh, he stood up and made his way to the middle of the bus where she sat. 

“Can I join you?,” Eric asked quietly, ready to slink back to his seat if Ashley told him to fuck off, which was absolutely within her right. 

Ashley slowly turned her puffy, red face toward him. It took her a moment to realize that Eric was standing next to her. _Of course he’d be on the bus, Ash, he lives in the city._

“Why?” she asked.

“I think we need to talk,” he replied, taking the seat adjacent to Ashley’s. 

“What do we have to talk about, Eric?” she asked again, turning to look out the window. She wasn’t in the mood for more talk. Talking was what got her into this mess.

He sighed. This was not the reunion he was hoping for. “Ashley, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had a fiancé. Someone called me up last week and told me you were looking for me. If I hadn’t been so eager to reconnect, I would have looked you up first,” Eric apologized with a soft sincerity in his voice that made Ashley look him in the eye. 

“Well, I don’t have a fiancé anymore. He made it pretty clear how he felt about us when he shredded our relationship into tiny pieces and burned them to ash with his raging jealousy,” Ashley replied with a shaky breath. She reminded herself that Eric wasn’t to blame, he was also a victim of Monique’s plot to get Shane back.

Eric slipped into the seat with her, careful to give her space but also to be there if she needed comfort from a friend. “That really sucks. He must’ve not loved you as much as you thought if he gave you up as soon as one ex-boyfriend pops into town,” he reasoned gently. 

Ashley shook her head and looked at Eric, “Not just any ex, Eric. It had to be you. Shane knew I had one serious relationship before him so now he is convinced I planned the whole thing. He accused me of ‘having second thoughts about us’... two fucking weeks before our wedding.” The tears burned in her eyes at the thought, “Dammit, Eric, the first day I moved here, I saw Shane in the Saloon and it was like, BAM! I have never fallen so hard for someone I had never even talked to. But, I guess I was just too lonely to realize...” 

She remembered how rude and sad Shane had been before he finally let her in. Then, everything seemed to fit together and he became so much more than just the town’s alcoholic grump but a supportive uncle to Jas, a grateful nephew to Marnie and a loving boyfriend. He had become her whole world...I guess Marnie was right after all. It wasn’t love, she was his support system and nothing more. For Yoba’s sake, the man had proposed to her in her shower after their first night together and a hand job in the morning. Their relationship may not have been real to Shane but he was everything to her. _You stupid girl...Marnie warned you._

“Sounds a little like when we first met,” Eric chuckled, “Do you remember?” He did, like it was yesterday. His first day in a new school was always the worst. Junior year, where everyone else had their friends from grade school up or acquaintances from previous years, was not the best time to move around but that had been his whole life. His family never stayed in one place for long. Eric didn’t think he would make any real friends and certainly never expected to fall in love.

Ashley rested her head on her bag, “You walked into homeroom and sat in the back near Jarrod and me, putting your head down. We felt bad for you so we came to say hi.” She smiled at the memory, “Remember what I said to you, ‘Out of all the homerooms you had to walk into, you walked into mine.’ So fucking cheesy.”

Eric traced her fingers with his and smiled, “Out of all the schools I had been to in the past five years, you two were the first ones to ever do that. I enjoyed hanging out with you guys all the time and, for the first time since I could remember, I was actually happy.” He sighed at the memory, so clear in his head, before continuing, “Then, when you kissed me right before Jarrod’s Halloween party, I didn’t want to leave Zuzu. You were the first girlfriend I ever had, Ashley.”

“I remember. You were so awkward and nervous but, to tell you the truth, so was I,” Ashley recalled with a smile, “I had boyfriends before but they were normal, boring, compared to you. Do you remember some of the deep conversations about philosophy and shit we had?” Her face lit up at the memory making Eric smile. 

He nodded as his smile grew larger, “Uh-huh. I also remember I was trying to impress you. It was total bullshit but you seemed to like it so I started studying more philosophy to keep it up. I have to admit, that is the reason I’m so confident today. You helped me break out of my shell, learn things I didn’t know I liked and you never made fun of me for it.” Eric gazed at Ashley as he reflected on that memory. 

When Ashley shifted in her seat to lay her head on Eric’s shoulder, he smiled and continued, “Do you remember the night before Christmas break? I had to leave the next morning to visit family for two weeks…”

She nodded against his shoulder, “We went over to Jarrods for a going away, slash, Christmas party of our own. I didn’t want you to leave me for those two weeks without giving you something you wouldn’t forget…” She trailed off, remembering how much she had given Eric that night...how much of each other they had both given...

“I begged my parents not to move again, to let me finish my senior year at Zuzu. They didn’t believe me when I told them I was in love with you, telling me it would pass, that it was just a crush,” Eric continued, bitterly recalling the events of their past.

Ashley took Eric’s hand in hers, “I loved you, too, Eric. More than I understood at the time and it took me years to get over you. But now...Shane has my whole heart, and he shattered and broke it. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over him.” The tears started falling again as she looked at her hand in Eric’s. She had always been a physically emotional person, needing to feel the comfort of another’s touch when she was upset or lonely.

“You always were one to fall hard and fast, Ashley. You never did anything part of the way. Honestly, I'd give my right arm to have you look at me like that again,” Eric said quietly as he rested his head on hers. “But, maybe the stars are aligning for us again?”

“Maybe, maybe not. If we’d found each other a year ago, before I moved here, we could have been happy together,” Ashley mused aloud but when she pictured her future, Shane’s face still appeared in her vision...as always. “And I wouldn’t have to go through losing another part of myself. I feel like there’s nothing left of me now, Eric. Just an empty, hollow shell…” Ashley said, staring off at the distance. 

“You’re not empty, Ashley, not by a long shot. Sure, you feel like your heart has been mangled until it’s unrecognizable but it is an amazing organ. In time, it will mend but it won’t be the same. It will be stronger, trust me,” Eric said, kissing her head and taking his hand from her to sit up straight, turning to look her straight on. “All I ever wanted was to be your friend until you made me want more. When I got the phone call saying you were looking for me, I have to admit, I was hoping we could pick up where we left off,” he said with an optimistic spark in his black eyes.

Ashley sat up and looked at the only person in the world she had. Eric was right, her heart had been broken three times before, each time it had healed and hardened to shape her into the person she is today. But he was suggesting getting back together and, after only being single a few hours, this was way too fast even for her. “Eric, I can’t go through this again, not so soon after Shane. I literally have nothing else,” she said shaking her head. 

“You have me, Ashley. I _want_ to take care of you, whether as your friend or as something more later, I don’t care. I just don’t want to see you hurting like this anymore,” Eric said, sharing her pain like he had always done in the past. His black eyes bored into her soul, looking for the key to extinguish her suffering. 

“I’ll be alright in a few years, I think, but I’m moving back to the city. I can’t go back there. Do you know anyone that’s renting?” Ashley asked as she pinned her bag against the window to lean on and pulled her knees up to her chest. 

“What do you mean you’re moving to the city? With what? A handful of clothes and whatever is in your bank account?” Eric looked at her, calling bullshit, “You should stay with family until you can figure things out, Ashley.”

“My family disowned me after highschool. My own sister hasn’t even answered her wedding invitation. When I said I was alone, I meant it,” Ashley admitted, the tears welling up in her eyes again. “The farm was my last lifeline, left to me as my grandfather’s last dying wish but it’s gone now.”

Eric looked at her a long moment before shaking his head, “You are unbelievable, you know? Maybe you haven’t changed as much as I thought.” He hung his arm over the seat of the bus, “You can’t run away from this like you ran away from everything in high school. I tell you what, as just friends, you can stay in the guest bedroom in my apartment until you get on your feet. No strings attached, just think of it as me repaying a debt to you if it makes you feel better.”

Ashley stared past him, her eyebrows scrunched up in deep thought. “Repayment of a debt or not, I don’t want to impose. I’ll just stay at a cheap hotel until I find a place to rent.”

Eric shook his head, “No. Absolutely not. Those places are full of scum and I can’t stand the thought of my first and oldest friend in the whole world, the girl I care about staying there. No, you’ll stay with me, I insist.”

Ashley looked at him with her sad eyes and smiled warmly, glad to be wanted by someone. “Alright. I’ll stay but only until I find a job and an apartment of my own.”

\-----

Shane got off the bus and hurried across the road to the restaurant. They had just closed so he knocked on the door loudly in hopes that someone was still there cleaning up after hours. Vinnie came up and smiled, opening the door but his face fell when he saw the state Shane was in.

“Hey, Vinnie. I need to talk to you and Tony, it’s an emergency,” Shane said as he made his way inside, not waiting on him to reply. He was nervously pacing back and forth having wasted two more hours on the ride here.

Vinnie called back, “Pa, Shane’s here! Emergency meeting in back!” He nodded to the back room and Shane went ahead. 

Tony was already sitting at the table, drying his hands on a towel when they came in. The two men weren’t sure what was going on but they could tell by the look on Shane’s face it wasn’t good. 

“Son, what happened to you? You look like shit,” Tony said as Shane took a seat next to him. 

“I fucked up real bad, Tony, and now I’ve lost the only woman I’ll ever love,” Shane explained, sniffling as tears welled up in his eyes. 

Vinnie sat down across from them, “I don’t believe it.” He shook his head quickly in disbelief but Shane took the contents from his pocket and set them on the table. Vinnie groaned and rubbed his face at seeing the engagement ring, pendant and note.

“Eric, her ex, showed up to the Stardew Festival today, said he heard Ashley was looking for him. I was so mad, Tony, and blamed her. I mean, he shows up a week after we see his picture... you should’ve seen the way he looked at her and I was blind with jealousy,” Shane tried to explain, shaking as he spoke.

Tony put his hand on Shane’s arm, “What about Ashley? Is she with this Eric now? Tell me everything.” 

Shane closed his eyes to think back and told him all he could recall. He remembered how upset he was at seeing some random guy messing with his girl. But, as soon as he realized who he was, Shane was filled with rage and the fear of losing her. 

“I came up with Jas and saw Eric handling the Mermaid Pendant but Ashley was just standing there. When I asked her if she was okay, she referred to him as an old friend calling on her for a surprise visit. Marnie was there, she said Ashley was surprised to see him,” Shane said quietly as he recalled the look on her face, the fear and confusion that he mistook for being busted for cheating. 

“She tried to explain but I wouldn’t listen. Instead, I called her a liar and told her to go be with him. Ashley slapped my face and left. Tony, I’ve never seen her so upset and I didn’t even go look for her. I found these on our bed hours later. She said she left the farmhouse to Jas and me because she’s moving back to the city,” he finished as large, hot tears rolled down his face. 

Tony and Vinnie both sat back at the same time, grim looks on both their faces. “This sounds really bad… maybe we can fix it. Does she have any family in the city, someone she can turn to?” Tony said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and grasped his hands, thinking.

Shane looked at him helplessly, “We’re all she has, Tony. She’s alone in the city and I did it to her. What if she starts drinking again or gets mugged or worse…” _What if she goes to him..._

Vinnie was already on the phone with Marge when Tony turned to him, “Ma, it’s about Shane. Ashley is somewhere in the city and we need to find her. No, ma. We’ll talk at the house...Okay, yeah, alright. See ya, ma. Bye.” Vinnie hung up and looked at Shane, “Send me a picture. The family will spread it around. If she’s in the city, we’ll find her.”

Shane immediately found his favorite picture of Ashley and sent it, cursing that he hadn’t taken a recent one with her new hair cut but this would do. Vinnie and Tony’s phones both lit up and they started sending it out, calling on their network of family and friends to begin the search.

Tony put his phone down on the table and looked hard at Shane, “Alright, now that the search is on, we need to figure out why her old flame showed up saying she was looking for him. Either one of two things is going on: Someone sent him to mess things up between you two or, for whatever reason, Ashley really was looking for him. Let’s start with the first, is there someone you pissed off that would try to break you two up on purpose?”

Shane thought about it a moment and remembered something Ashley said behind the Mullner’s, “Ashley thought Monique may have sent him. She complained about how much Mona was flirting with me all night even though I tried to ignore her but…I couldn’t believe that.” He listened to what he just said, about Ashley seeing Mona all over him. _Fuck. I’m an asshole. Ashley was jealous but didn’t give me up to be with Mona._ _I’m a fucking idoit._ He put his face in his hands, “I don’t deserve Ashley after what I did.” 

Tony sighed and wiped his face with the towel, “No, you probably don’t but you need to decide whether you’re going to let her go for good or fight for her, son. Either way, she deserves better than being left alone in the city.”

Vinnie, who had been texting feverishly for the past ten minutes spoke up. “Ma says we need to come home now. She needs to hear from Shane’s mouth what’s going on,” he finished texting and stood up. The other two followed suit.

Tony stopped Shane before leaving the back room, “Something to think about on the way to the house while you decide what you’re gonna do: Why would Ashley suddenly give up everything you two had built together for a guy she dated nearly a decade ago. Think about it.” He patted Shane on the back before following Vinnie out the back door.

Before they had even gotten to the car, Shane had made up his mind. Tony had his hand on the door handle when Shane said, “Ashley wouldn’t have been looking for Eric. She wouldn’t have done that... And I’m not giving up on us.” 

Tony patted the car and smiled. He knew all along Shane would come to his senses, “Good, what are you willing to do to get your girl back when we find her? You can’t expect to just say sorry and everything to go back to the way it was because it won’t.” 

“Anything. Whatever it takes. I need her, Tony, more than I’ve needed anyone. My life means nothing without her,” Shane said with pleading eyes. He didn’t have the first idea how he was going to make it up to her but he would spend the rest of his days trying if that’s what it took. 

\-----

Eric and Ashley headed to his apartment downtown after getting off the bus. His apartment was located on the tenth floor of a posh industrial-style building in an upscale neighborhood. When they stepped off the elevator, Ashley noticed they weren’t in a regular hallway but a short foyer with a single door at the end. 

“So, your apartment isn’t _on_ the tenth floor, it _IS_ the tenth floor?” Ashley asked with a smirk. “Guess you got that dream job you were looking for after all, huh?”

Eric gave her an amused half-smile, “Something like that. I didn’t just become a videogame developer. I bought the company three years ago when I moved back here.” He unlocked the door and held it open for Ashley to enter.

She moved inside and set her bag next to the entrance to look around. The ceilings were higher than you would expect in an apartment and, as she walked around, noticed why. There were stairs going up to an open loft bedroom overlooking the two walls of glass windows that had fantastic views of the city. Eric’s furniture matched his style and personality: dark, cool and chill. Everything was functional and purposeful, nothing out of place. Ashley kept walking around, looking at the black and white artwork on the walls before ending at the window near his dining area.

“This is amazing, Eric. I’m glad you’ve done so well for yourself,” Ashley said, watching him in the reflection of the glass.

Eric was unbuttoning the sleeves of his long-sleeve shirt and rolled them up just before his elbows while he watched Ashley closely. She saw tattoos on his arms but couldn’t make them out without turning around. 

“It took me almost six years to get back here but I did. Fast-tracked my Senior year with College Prep in computer science during the day. At night, I learned coding and graphics design. My second year of college I took software development and by the end of term had landed a job with a well-respected video game development firm. Worked there a year and a half before I became the top-developer for the company, was promoted to senior developer for a year and then bought the company when I moved back to the city. Now, I’m here...with you,” Eric told her as he walked over to stand next to Ashley. 

Eric and Ashley looked out over the city. “Sounds like you have everything you ever wanted,” Ashley mused as she watched the busy streets buzz with weekend traffic. _Our old stomping ground._

“Almost everything,” Eric replied simply, a hint of sadness in his voice.

They stared out over the city a moment longer before Eric turned to her, “Are you hungry? I can cook, we can order in or we can go out; Whatever you want to do.” 

His black eyes reflected the city lights as his thin lips curled up in a grin. His double spider bite piercings drew her gaze and Ashley realized she hadn’t gotten a really good look at him before now. He had a purple and black curved barbell piercing on his left eyebrow. The medium, black gauges in his ears were the same but she noticed some ink on his neck from a tattoo that peeked out toward his right ear. Except for his hair, tattoos, and the lip rings, he hadn’t changed much at all. Eric was still pale and mysteriously handsome as he had always been.

Eric was watching her study his face while he waited on her to answer, making Ashley blush when she realized what was going on. “Sorry, it’s just...I’m seeing you, it feels like, for the first time today. You haven’t changed and I had forgotten...” she apologized, blushing brighter before clearing her throat and taking a step backwards. _This is wrong...I should never have come here..._ “If it’s all the same to you, I’m not ready for a night out on the town but I don’t want you to dirty any dishes on my account, so order in, it is.”

“Sure,” Eric said as he studied her a moment, trying not to read too much into the moment. “You still like chinese food? I remember you used to love spring rolls,” he asked, turning toward the kitchen refrigerator where the number was. “I know this excellent place a couple of blocks away that has the best takeout. Their rolls are always…” Eric stopped talking when he heard the elevator door ding. “Crunchy…” _Fuck!_

On the way out, Eric grabbed his keys and wallet to run after her but she was already on the elevator. “Ashley, what are you doing?” he asked as his head rested on the closed doors.

Eric ran back to lock up before taking the stairs down, hoping to beat the elevator. Ten flights of stairs later, he emerged from the door panting heavily when the elevator door dinged. He ran over to stand just before the doors opened. 

“Ashley, please don’t leave,” He started but she wasn’t there. Eric ran his hands across his head before putting his hands on his hips. _She couldn't have gone far...front desk surveillance._

Eric rushed to the front desk and smiled, “I’m looking for my guest. She left without her phone and I thought she was on the elevator. Would you be able to look at surveillance to find her?” He set his own phone down on the counter and waited.

The man at the front desk smirked, “Sure. What does this guest look like?”

“Long brown hair, carrying a duffle bag. About my height, great legs,” Eric described quickly, trying to catch his breath.

“Oh, she walked out the door a few minutes ago. In a hurry, too,” the desk clerk replied, adding, “She went to the right, by the way.”

“Thanks,” Eric said before grabbing his cell and rushing out the front of the building heading right. 

He looked ahead as far as he could but the sidewalk was packed with people. Up ahead Eric found a low wall he could stand on to see better so he headed over and vaulted up, skimming the crowds. He caught sight of her getting into a cab, took note of the taxicab number printed on the top and hailed the next one.

“Please, I need you to follow that cab,” Eric said, pointing to the one up ahead of them.

“What? Sweetheart run off with your wallet?” the taxi driver joked.

“Worse, my heart,” Eric said unhappily. 

The cab followed Ashley to the cemetery and Eric had him drop him off just down the street, tipping him well before hurrying to the entrance. It was starting to get dark out so he searched the cemetery quickly until he found her. She was gathering a few flowers from some of the other graves before placing them on a single one. He watched her sit, say a few words and start crying. _Jarrod...I should’ve guessed._ Not wanting to disturb her but unable to leave her alone, Eric found a park bench behind her where he could get to her if she were in trouble and settled in.

Ashley awoke the next morning at six am, feeling like shit. Her neck hurt from using her duffle bag for a pillow while sleeping on the ground next to Jarrod’s grave. Surprisingly, it was the only place in the city she felt safe right now but she couldn’t sleep here every night. Ashley needed to find a place and there was no way she could stay with Eric. 

She raised up, remembering she left Eric’s apartment in a hurry after her feelings for him started to resurface. Ashley rationalized that the only reason she was feeling this way was because she was lonely. As much as she was upset at Shane for breaking up with her, she still loved him and Eric was the closest person to give her the same feelings so, of course she gravitated toward him. 

Ashley’s stomach growled when she stood up and stretched, having not eaten anything since breakfast yesterday. She bent down to pick up her bag and noticed Eric slumped over, sleeping on the park bench not twelve feet away. _He’s persistent..._ She walked over to the park bench and sat down, careful not to wake him and brought out her phone. _Three texts and two missed calls from Shane and six texts from Marnie._ Ashley didn’t mean to scoff aloud but she did, startling Eric awake before she could read or listen to them. 

“Ashley!” Eric shouted as he awoke before realizing where he was and that he’d been caught. Eric sat up and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have been so forward, inviting you over. I should have taken you to a hotel,” Eric apologized as he rubbed his face, trying to wake up but also in embarrassment. 

“Well, thanks for not leaving me alone last night but I should be the one apologizing, not you. When I looked at you for the first time last night, I mean, really looked at you, stuff started rushing back. I need to keep a clear head right now and you confuse me,” Ashley explained quietly as she picked at a loose string on her bag. 

Eric looked at her a moment. _So there was something going on last night._ Standing up to stretch he decided to try again, “Well, you can’t expect to keep a clear head without any food on your stomach. Will you at least come back to my place so you can shower? I promise I’ll stay downstairs the whole time. You can text me when you’re done and I’ll come up to get ready so we can have breakfast at a public restaurant, okay?”

She looked at her feet as she considered his offer, the hunger in her stomach spoke louder than her brain. “Fair enough. Here, give me your number,” Ashley decided finally. Eric watched her unlock her phone and hand it to him. When he finished adding his number, she pressed send and hung up, “And now you have mine.” 

She stood up and headed toward the cemetery entrance. Eric jumped up quickly and walked next to her with his hands in his pockets. They were a motley crew, Ashley looking like a bum and Eric looking like he just came from a party. He hailed a cab and held the door open for her. As Eric helped her in, he noticed the man on the bench beside them was staring at Ashley with an odd look on his face but picked up his newspaper as soon as Eric got in the cab with her. 

Ashley watched the people on the sidewalk rush to work, stopping at coffee shops along the way. She thought of her farm and the animals she had left behind, the hard work she had put into building her grandpa’s farm back up and put her hand to her heart. 

“Hey, you alright?” Eric’s soft voice broke her thoughts as he put his hand on her arm. 

Ashley sniffled and gave him a weak smile. “I’m just thinking about what I would have been doing this morning. By now, the chickens would be fed, the coop would be cleaned and I’d be weeding the garden,” she chuckled sadly at the absurdity of how simple that life was and how fleeting it all had been. 

Eric picked up Ashley’s hand to hold. His fingers were long and thin, spindly like a spider and cool to the touch. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Here in the city, you can build whatever life you want and I’ll be here to help you or support you in any way,” he smiled at her and squeezed her hand before taking it back. Eric was a patient man and didn’t want to scare Ashley away again. 

“Thank you, Eric, for helping me and for being my friend,” Ashley said with a sad grin. She really missed the farm life but he was right. There was nothing in Stardew Valley for her anymore but at least here in the city she had Eric. 

They pulled up to his apartment building and he opened her door before paying the cab driver. Once in the lobby they walked over to the elevator but Eric stopped, pulled out his key and held it up to his chest, looking at Ashley with an intensity that made her blush. “As promised, I will let you go ahead and remain in the lobby until you text or call. Don’t... lose my key. Please,” he said, holding it out to let it dangle a moment then dropping it in her hands.

“I promise I won’t,” Ashley replied as she clung to Eric’s key tightly. She gave him a reassuring smile. 

He leaned forward but there was nowhere for Ashley to go with the elevator doors right behind her. She tensed up as his face moved closer, an inch from her own, and he pushed the button. When the elevator dinged behind her, it made her jump and Eric smiled, his face still dangerously close. 

“I’ll be looking for your text,” he said before leaning back to give her a small wave as she stepped into the lift and watched the door close. 

Pressing the number ten button, she let out a slow breath. _Damn, girl. You know he would have kissed you just now...and you almost wanted him to..._

Once upstairs, she realized she didn’t know where the bathroom was. Ashley put Eric’s key on the table next to the door and texted him:

“I just walked in and realized I never saw the bathroom. Help. lol”

Eric replied immediately, “Guest bedroom and bathroom, left of the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” 

She set her phone down next to Eric’s key and walked to the kitchen to find the guest bedroom. It was nicer than any apartment she had stayed at and had a clean black, white, and gray decor that was modest compared to the rest of his apartment. The bathroom was small but well-stocked, black and white tiles with light gray walls and a sizable shower with a glass door. 

“Nice,” Ashley said aloud before turning back to the guest room. 

She set her duffel bag on the foot of the bed and unzipped it to find the least wrinkled clothes, laying them out on the bed in hopes the wrinkles would relax. Then, closing the door to the bedroom, Ashley went to the bathroom to peel off her grimy clothes, leaving them in a neat pile on the floor. After turning the knob, she waited until the shower water ran hot before stepping in and sliding the glass door closed. The water pressure was so hard it felt like the spray of water was washing away layers of dirt down to the ones no one could see but her. The hot water massaged her body as Ashley relaxed, shampooing and conditioning her hair before a last rinse. The fog had clouded everything in a light mist and Ashley sighed, refreshed, before towel drying and getting dressed. After brushing her teeth, she felt human again and combed her hair on the way to her phone. 

“All clear,” she texted Eric and finished brushing her hair next to the window, looking out over the city.

The elevator dinged and Eric opened the door a few minutes later with a smile on his face. “You look nice. Feel better?” he asked, checking the table for his key before heading over to her. “Smell nice, too,” he added with a glint in his eye. 

Ashley gave him a charming smile. “I feel...nice,” she giggled, “The shower was so amazing I feel like I’ve been to a masseuse. Thank you, Eric.”

“The building does have amazing water pressure,” Eric agreed while he studied her from a few feet away. His hands were in his pockets and he still had the little smile on his face, like he knew some secret but didn’t want to share. 

The longer Eric stared at her, the more Ashley felt like he was undressing her with his eyes but, as soon as she started to feel uncomfortable, he turned away. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be back in about fifteen minutes. Until then, make yourself comfortable and we’ll grab breakfast at my favorite restaurant,” Eric said, stopping at the top of the stairs to glance back, “You _will_ still be here when I’m finished, won’t you?”

Ashley crossed her heart and smiled, “I promise not to run away.” 

He flashed her a smile, “Good,” and continued upstairs. 

Left alone, Ashley decided to check her messages but when she picked up her phone it was dead. _Great,_ she thought, upset that she hadn’t had the chance to read any of the texts and messages from yesterday. Why did she care anyway? Shane had been a supreme asshole and she didn’t want to hear anymore of his hurtful words. He was probably messaging to tell her he’d cancelled the wedding or some shit. 

Still, Ashley needed her phone in case of a real emergency so she went to the guest bedroom where her bag was. She dug around for a few minutes for the phone charger but couldn’t find it. Dumping everything out on the bed, Ashley went through every piece of clothing searching frantically for the charger before she gave up defeat and admitted she’d forgotten it. 

Ashley let her head and shoulders fall as she gripped the side of the bed, trying not to cry again but the tears stung her eyes. She started shaking as the tears fell, just as Eric came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Come here,” he said smoothly, gently turning her around so he could hug her. Eric had been wanting to do it since he saw her at the fair.

Ashley fell into him, sobbing into his shoulder. As she hugged Eric, though, she realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt and pulled back in case he wasn’t wearing anything else. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I just came in here for a t-shirt,” Eric held his hands up to show he was, in fact, wearing pants. “I thought I would dress down today but all my t-shirts are in here. Consequence of having a loft bedroom - less closet space,” he added with a disarming smile.

Ashley felt silly so she wiped the tears away with her hand, “Sorry, Eric. I’m just upset that my phone died before I could read my messages and I left my charger at home.” 

Eric grimaced when Ashley still referred to the farm as ‘home’, “Ashley, you don’t have to apologize. I know yesterday was difficult but today is new, we’ll get through it.” He offered up his arms to hug her again and she accepted, making his heart warm. “You can use my charger while we’re at breakfast and check your messages later. But, for now, forget about everything else.”

Ashley was feeling better after the hug but Eric’s bare skin underneath her hands was distracting her in ways she wasn’t ready for. “Okay, let’s get some food before I fall over. I haven’t eaten in twenty-four hours,” she said, pulling back. 

Her hands brushed Eric’s chest when she brought her arms around and she noticed an interesting tattoo near his heart. It was a blood-red anatomical heart surrounded in violet flames and the letters AW+EW carved into the flesh that were bleeding out. 

Eric, who was always watching Ashley intently, took notice. “It’s the tattoo I got for us the summer my family moved,” he said quietly. “See our initials there? I told you, Ashley, that I loved you then and I have never stopped.” His eyes looked like smooth obsidian, glossing over as a single tear ran down his cheek. 

Ashley had never seen Eric cry and felt an ache in her heart. She had no idea he had endured this longing for the past eight years but, as much as Ashley cared for Eric, she wasn’t sure if she loved him anymore. Everything, her emotions, her heart and her brain, was all mixed up and complicated. One day away from Shane, the man she thought she’d spend her life with, wasn’t enough to make her stop loving him. She couldn’t love two men at the same time, could she?

Still, she wiped the tear from Eric’s cheek and kissed it. “I can’t give you what you want, Eric, not right now. I’m still in pieces and I don’t know how long it’ll take to put me back together,” Ashley said, sniffling. 

Eric cupped her cheek in his hand, fighting his urges like he’s practiced for years. “Just... stay with me, Ashley, and I’ll make you whole again no matter how long it takes,” he promised. 

Ashley smiled and nodded her head, “Okay.” Her stomach growled loud enough to make Eric jump and she giggled. 

He grabbed a t-shirt out of the first drawer and pulled it over his head. “Let’s feed the beast calling from the depths before it devours you whole,” he joked and gestured for Ashley to head out. 

As Eric followed behind her, he could barely contain the excitement at having a second chance with Ashley. It had been so long since he’d seen her face, kissed her lips and touched her beautiful body. Soon, they would be together like the gods intended but it would take more time, time that he didn’t have as long as Shane was in the city...


	15. Don't Stop Believing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane continues his search for Ashley while Eric continues to keep her busy.

Shane had been walking up and down the streets, looking inside every shop or restaurant he passed for Ashley.  _ This city is just too big and she could be anywhere. _ He had left the Panitelli’s last night after speaking to Marge about what was going on, deciding to burn off his nervous energy by walking on foot in case she was on the streets. Shane had burned through that nervous energy hours ago and, as he watched the sun rise, he realized he needed to rest. Every brown-haired girl that passed was starting to look like Ashley and he hadn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday.

Rubbing his eyes, Shane pulled out his phone and when he pulled up Tony’s number, he noticed his phone was at five percent. “Hey, Tony. No luck and my phone is about dead,” Shane reported, giving him the name of the street corner he was on. 

He sat down on the bench near the corner and rested his chin on his chest. When his eyes started to close, Shane sat up straight to keep from sleeping and skimmed the crowds again.  _ Where are you, Ash?  _ He willed Ashley to show herself, trying to coerce whatever forces brought them together in the first place but to no avail. Shane tried to hold onto what little strength he had but his willpower to go on was failing fast.

A car pulled up and Tony leaned across to open the door for Shane, “Get in. I just got word, Ashley’s been spotted a few blocks from here.”

The exhaustion Shane felt was pushed to the back as adrenaline took over. He would have found her if he’d just kept walking... Shane jumped up and into the car, plugging his phone up to charge, “When? Was she alright? Was she alone?” His sputtered questions came out quickly as he fastened his seatbelt. 

Tony headed in the direction of his lead, “Slow down, son. She was spotted leaving the graveyard up ahead about five minutes ago with some goth-looking guy. One of my cousins spotted them getting into a cab and heading toward downtown proper. He said she looked like she’d slept in her clothes but was okay.” 

Mr. Panitelli was glad to be driving because he didn’t want to see the look on Shane’s face as he stared quietly out the window, hearing him sniffle often. 

“Shane, you need to be ready for anything but don’t give up before we know more. What’s important is that she’s okay,” Tony said, quietly as he concentrated on finding the cab with the number that matched the one they were looking for.

Shane felt his insides dying at the thought of Ashley being with Eric and it was all his fault. If he had only been stronger and listened to reason instead of letting his jealousy take over, they would be getting married in two weeks. The people on the sidewalk were starting to blur as they drove past so Shane wiped his eyes, clearing the tears away.

“There,” Tony said suddenly. He pointed to a cab among five up ahead, “The one in front.”

Shane sat up to see better, watching it pull up to an upscale apartment building and stop. He recognized Eric when he got out of the cab, keeping the door open until Ashley emerged. They were both wearing the same clothes as yesterday and Ashley held her bag to her chest tightly. Eric wasn’t touching her but had his hands in his pockets as he walked beside her. The anger Shane felt yesterday came back but he funnelled it toward Eric. 

“That fucker does have my girl,” Shane exclaimed through gritted teeth. “Why are they wearing the same clothes as yesterday and why were they at a graveyard?” Ashley looked meek and sad with her shoulders hunched, perfect prey for a shark like Eric.

“Stop the car, Tony,” Shane said, ready to get out and go after her. “Stop the car... Please!”

Tony pulled over to the curb and, as soon as he had braked enough, Shane bolted out the car toward the building. The double doors flew open, caught by the automatic pressure closers as he headed past the front desk toward Eric. Oddly, Ashley was nowhere to be seen. 

“Where is she?” Shane demanded as he approached Eric, fists balled up at his sides.

Eric was watching the video feed from his guest bedroom on his phone, a look of lust on his face. Then, smiling, he locked his phone to address the angry man. “Ashley is upstairs...showering... What can I do for you?” he responded like Shane was asking him about the weather. 

“You can take me to her...right now,” Shane demanded again. He moved up to stand in Eric’s face, hoping to intimidate him but the guy didn’t flinch.

Eric simply put his hand on Shane’s shoulder and took a step back, “No. I can’t do that for two reasons. First, I made a  _ promise _ to stay down here until she called. Secondly, I’ve been looking for Ashley for the past three years, and, wouldn’t you know it, someone just calls me up out of the blue to tell me where to find her.” He gave an amused chuckle as if he still couldn’t believe his luck, “Don’t you see? The stars are aligning for us again. Ashley and I were always meant for each other...even if she doesn’t see that yet.” 

Shane laughed incredulously, “Fuck the stars, Eric. You can have any girl you want but I’m not so lucky. I need to hear from her lips that she doesn’t love me anymore or, Yoba help me, she’s coming home with me whether you want her to or not.” He reached for the elevator button but two armed men in suits showed up, holding his arms and waiting for instructions to escort him outside.

Eric came closer to Shane’s face and said quietly, “I don’t want any girl, I want Ashley. I’ve never loved anyone but Ashley and you had your chance. Have a good life, Shane.” He nodded to the building’s security guards and they carried Shane out, tossing him on the curb. Eric, who was waving goodbye to Shane, got the all clear text from Ashley and headed into the lift, watching Shane with a cool and calculated gaze as the doors closed.

Shane, bruised and scraped at being mishandled by the guards, stood up and dusted off, watching Eric hop into the elevator as he waved goodbye. His eyes stung and his heart hurt but Shane let his anger consume him. No way was he letting this guy seduce the only woman alive that loved him wholly. Like Marnie said, they had an argument and it won’t be the last. Sure, it was pretty big but he would never let his jealousy rule him again like that, not at the expense of Ashley. 

Tony was still waiting on the curb so Shane headed over, shaking his head, “That man is a psychopath. He’s convinced that he and Ashley are supposed to be together.” His whole body was shaking with anger but he tried to focus it with the determination to get Ashley back. “I did learn a few things, though: Someone did call Eric but it wasn’t Ashley and he hasn't convinced her to be with him yet.” 

They got in the vehicle to head back to the house. Shane’s right leg bounced nervously as they drove, unable to do anything while she’s in Eric’s guarded tower.  _ No wonder Ashley hasn’t returned any of my messages… _ Shane knew that this Eric guy was bad news, how could he not be with armed guards in his apartment? Shane knew he had to rescue Ashley before she was hurt. 

Tony shook his head in disbelief, “We need to find out more on this Eric guy. I’ll ask a few of my poker buddies tonight if they got any dirt on this guy. When we get back to the house, you should eat and get some sleep. You’ll need all the energy you can get to fight for Ashley.” 

Shane nodded as he looked out the window at nothing in particular. The last thing he wanted to do right now was sleep so he decided to call Marnie to let her know what’s going on and to talk to Jas since they had been beside themselves with worry. His aunt was doing everything she could to keep Jas from having a breakdown but she refused to eat or sleep until her uncle made it back with her Aunt Ashley. 

By the time Shane got off the phone with Marnie and Jas, Tony had pulled up to the house. They went inside, feeling defeated for the moment but at least they had a plan. Marge met them at the kitchen entrance with a hand towel in her hand.

“Well?” she simply asked, waiting on an update.

Tony came over to his wife and gave her a kiss on the cheek as Shane followed him to the kitchen. “Well, we found Ashley and she looks to be okay but she’s with Eric,” the man stood at the bar, pouring two cups of coffee. “Shane, you tell her while I fix you a sandwich,” Tony finished and got to work while Shane recounted the events of the morning.

“But, she’s not  _ with _ this guy, is she?” Marge asked with a confused frown.

Shane shook his head, “No, but he’s smooth. If we don’t get to her soon, she will be. Eric is obsessed… he won't let her go.”

Marge hugged Shane and took a deep sigh, “You’ll get her back. We’ve got people all over the city, surely we can find out more to help.” She stood back to look at him and smiled, “If Ashley could just see you again, hear what you had to say, I know she’d be willing to try again.”

Tony brought over the sandwich and set it in front of Shane. “Here, you need to eat and get some sleep. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open, learning more about this guy and where they are,” he said before stepping out of the room to start making more calls.

Shane wasn’t really hungry until he took a bite of the sandwich and devoured it in minutes, washing it down with the cup of coffee Tony had poured for him. He stood up and started toward the guest bedroom, stopping before he left the kitchen, “If I ever find out who called Eric and started this mess, so help me Yoba, I’m going to kill them…”

\-----

It was nearly brunch before the food came out. Ashley's eyes grew large at the copious amounts of food laid out on the table before them. She was going to order her basic scrambled eggs, bacon and toast with orange juice but Eric insisted she order a few other items to try.

“See? It’s better if you try a little of everything so you can order your favorites next time,” Eric explained as he took his fork and stabbed a sausage link.

“You’re going to spoil me while I stay with you,” Ashley said with a small grin before trying a bite of the eggs benedict. 

Eric’s lips curled up in a smile, “You better believe it. As long as I have you, anything you desire is yours. I just want to make you happy, Ashley.” His eyes stared at her intently again but the smile suggested he was holding something back.

Although Ashley was still getting used to Eric’s intensity, it was so contradictory to his chill demeanor that she found him exhausting. He was the complete opposite of her Shane… That thought stopped her abruptly.  _ No, Ashley. You can’t think like that anymore. Shane gave you up...but Eric is here, now, and he wants to be with you. _

“What are you thinking about?” Eric asked, taking a bite of the smoked salmon and poached egg on toasted brioche. He knew by the way her face fell, she had thought about Shane. It was going to be difficult to keep Ashley’s mind off him. Eric’s patience was also being challenged by the fact that Shane was in the city. 

Ashley tried the same, “Stuff and, you know, just how intense you seem to be all the time without actually  _ being _ intense. I just can’t get a read on you, Eric.”

He took a sip of orange juice, wiped his mouth on a napkin and came over to her chair. Taking her hands in his, Eric pulled Ashley to her feet and put her hands to his heart. “I am an open book. I’ve been completely honest about my feelings. I love you, Ashley, and I want you to stay with me. The offer to be your friend is solely for your benefit. If you were to say, right now, that you wanted me to take you back to that shit-hole town you were in before, I would. Contrary to that,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer, “if you asked me into your bed right now, I’d have you there in a matter of minutes where we would make love until you couldn’t come anymore.”

Ashley’s breath caught in her throat as she nearly drowned in the heated, chaotic energy that swirled around them right now. His eyes challenged her to make a move, hot breath against her lips and his pelvis pressed lightly into hers. Ashley closed her eyes, letting herself fall into the swirling abyss that was Eric, lips barely brushing his.

“Would you like anything else…” the waitress, who appeared to have been looking over their ticket while speaking, only just noticing she had interrupted something. “I’m sorry, I’ll just…” she stuttered, her face a deep shade of red as she rushed away immediately.

The clear look of rage on Eric’s face at being interrupted made Ashley pull back in concern. When he noticed Ashley’s reaction, Eric took a deep breath and replaced his anger with his normal, confident facade. 

“Please excuse me? I need to go speak to the manager,” Eric said, taking her hands and kissing her fingers. He smiled curtly and headed off with his hands in his pockets.

Ashley sat down at the table before she fell over, dizzy from whatever that was.  _ What the fuck are you doing, Ashley? Are you so touch-starved after one whole day you’re going to let your hot ex boyfriend fuck you just so you feel better?  _ She thought about that for a long moment. She hadn’t even checked her messages yet. What if Shane  _ had  _ apologized? Not that she expected him to if he didn’t come looking for her at the fair. __

Deep down, what she really wanted, was to go back to the farm and live her life as a simple farmer with Shane… She wanted to watch Jas grow up and for them to have children of their own. The tears that were never too far away lately started to fall again when she thought of the life she had lost and longed for.  _ But that’s over, Ash. You had a good run, it was fun while it lasted and now you’ve been reunited with your first love. You deserve happiness, even if it’s not exactly what you pictured. _

Ashley grabbed her bag and went to the bathroom so Eric wouldn’t see her crying again. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Sadness wasn’t a good look for her so she grabbed a little makeup, dotted her face with a little powder, swept a light layer of mascara on her lashes and tried to brush her hair out nice. If Eric was making an effort, she may as well not look like garbage people. A little strawberry lip gloss and a quick spritz of mint and she was done. When Ashley was sure she wouldn’t cry again, she headed back to the table to find Eric supremely perturbed. He was leaned back in his chair with one leg straight out, deep in thought while he flicked the barbell piercing in his eyebrow.

“Sorry about that, I just needed to freshen up in the restroom,” Ashley said as she came around the table to sit, brushing his shoulder with her hand on the way.

Eric’s dark mood flipped like a switch at seeing her, “I was wondering where you had gone off to this time.” The tone in his voice suggested he thought Ashley had run away again and he still seemed deep in thought.

Ashley grinned apologetically, “I get sad sometimes when I’m left alone with my thoughts. But, you’ve seen me cry enough today.” She looked down at the table at all the food she wished she could eat but her stomach had turned. 

Eric smiled at her, “Well, I’m glad we’re getting past that then. If we’re finished with breakfast, I’d like to take you shopping.” He sat up and she saw the same twinkle in his eye from earlier had returned, no more deep thought.

“Shopping where?” Ashley asked, excited at the thought of giving her brain something to think about besides sex and boys. 

Eric was amused at her sudden enthusiasm, “You only came here with a handful of clothes. My girl isn’t going to go without something as basic as that.”

Ashley raised her eyebrows at him. “Your girl? Eric, I’ve been in the city a day and a half and single less than that. This is too fast, even for me,” she explained. 

Eric stood up and walked around to her, held out his hand and flashed his most charming smile, “Well, that may be true if we were strangers but you and I are not, Ashley.” His obsidian eyes seemed to look clear to her soul and she felt entranced, his chaotic energy pulsating again. 

Ashley took his outstretched hand. “You promised me we’d take things slow and that’s what I want. Isn’t my company alone enough for now, Eric?” she asked simply, pleading with her eyes to give her a little space because, by Yoba, she couldn’t think straight when he looked at her like that.

Eric pulled Ashley to him, “Hardly, but a promise is a promise. I’ll try to contain my enthusiasm at your intoxication but, frankly, I find you irresistible.” He kissed her hand and they went to the front to settle the bill.

Eric had a way with Ashley that was dangerous, the confident way he held himself, the absolute sex appeal that seemed to ooze from him and his lusty eyes... his whole  _ being _ . There was a part of her that wanted to be with Eric but her heart still belonged to Shane. Would sleeping with Eric betray her heart... betray Shane... even if he didn’t want her anymore? Besides, Shane was the one who told her to go be with Eric but right now she didn’t know what she wanted. 

Once outside, Eric hailed a cab to take them to the mall. Ashley slid into her side of the cab but when Eric got in, he sat so close to her that their legs touched. This was not the space she had asked for and she had a feeling he wasn’t going to back down now.  _ He is persistent...and damn charming...Help me, Yoba... _

“You don’t have to sit on the other side of the cab, Ash” Eric said as he put his left arm around her shoulders and smiled. This was the happiest she had seen him since they reconnected. “I’ve waited too long to be with you again for us to be coy,” he added with a lust in his eyes that caused Ashley to blush. At seeing the pink in her cheeks, Eric’s smile grew.

When they got to the Mall, Eric took Ashley to a high-end clothing store where he usually shopped. He watched Ashley browse the clothes, paying close attention to the ones she would get excited about but put back once she looked at the price tag. It was oddly amusing watching her not want to spend much money when he had been clear that she could buy whatever she wanted. Money was of no importance, he had more than he knew what to do with. Keeping Ashley by his side was the only thing that mattered now. 

“These are really expensive, Eric. I don’t feel comfortable letting you buy me a bunch of clothes after a costly breakfast. It makes me feel like I’m taking advantage of you,” Ashley said as she turned to look at him. 

He took a step toward her, his hands in his pockets and looked her in the eye, “Ash, get the clothes you like. I  _ want _ to buy them for you. If we had been together for the past eight years like I wanted, the amount of money I’d have spent on you would be immeasurable compared to the small amount I’m spending on you today. Besides, you need the clothes.” Eric reached over and lifted the shirt she had just looked at off the rack and draped it on his arm.

“Well, can’t we at least go to a different store? One that’s not so high-priced?” Ashley pleaded once more. She didn’t need expensive clothes, even as nice as they were.

Eric raised his eyebrows, stepped back to the last rack where she had fingered a cute dress and, checking to make sure it was the correct size, draped it over his arm. He kept doing this until he had everything she had looked at and put back, at least six shirts and two dresses.

“Now, you’ll need some jeans and a few pairs of shoes,” Eric said, gesturing to the whole store and giving her his charming smile again. 

Ashley couldn’t help but smile. Eric was spoiling her and it kinda felt nice. “Thank you,” she kissed his cheek, “And, for the record, I still don’t feel like spending this much money is necessary.”

“Noted. Go on, I’ll be wandering the store while you look, “ Eric said, watching her smile and head over to the rack of blue jeans. He loved the curves of her body and watched her walk away, smiling to himself as he recalled the video from this morning.  _ I will have her in my bed before the week is up. _

Eric went around the store, keeping an eye on Ashley at all times, adding a cocktail dress that matched his suit for the upcoming company dinner before moving over to the lingerie section to pick out some sexy underwear and lingerie. When he had finished picking out the things he liked, he went to the shoe section where Ashley was trying on a pair of red heels to go with the casual dresses she’d picked out.

“Get these as well,” Eric said, dangling a pair of black stilettos with white toes, “They’ll go perfectly with the dress I picked out for you.”

Ashley started to protest when she saw the pile of clothes on Eric’s arm but the look on his face stopped her. “I’ve never worn stilettos...I’ll break my neck, Eric,” she said seriously, hoping that he was joking.

“You’ll have time to practice walking in them before the company dinner Wednesday night. I’d like you to be my guest and you’ll not be wearing them long,” Eric insisted with his cool charisma, “Besides that, they’ll go perfect with our matching outfits and make your already great ass look even more amazing.” 

Ashley smiled at his compliment and the thought of Eric wanting her to accompany him to such an important dinner. “It’s your money. Just make sure we bring an ice pack and bandages along,” she conceded, standing with the red heels in hand and a pair of sneakers. 

She went to kiss Eric’s cheek again but he turned his head to meet her lips with his. He was losing control of his patience after imagining Ashley in the lingerie he’d picked out for her. Admittedly, it was his own fault but he was so damn eager to be with her again. With Ashley teetering right on the edge of her loneliness, Eric would be the one to catch her when she fell, of that he was certain.

“You are too charming for your own good, Eric Winters, and damn persistent,” Ashley said quietly when she pulled back from his kiss. The longer she stayed near him, the more control she lost.  _ It had to be Eric to fall back into my life… _

Eric flashed his perfect, white teeth at her and raised an eyebrow, “I’m just glad you still find me charming, Ashley. I was beginning to wonder if I’d lost my touch.” He watched her blush when she smiled and felt himself starting to harden. “C’mon, there’s more shopping I want to do before we go home.”

Eric took Ashley to a couple more stores, including a store where he bought her a matching set of diamond and onyx jewelry for the fancy business dinner. The earrings, necklace and ring were beautiful and cost him more than he’d paid for her clothes.  _ I’m never going to get used to this, _ Ashley thought, looking down at the bags on their arms.

They stepped out on the curb and Eric hailed the next cab, catching sight of Ashley’s happy smile as she watched him. He smiled to himself and set the bags down to open the door. They managed to get all the shopping bags in but Ashley was practically sitting in Eric’s lap on the ride, one hand on her hip and the other on her thigh as she sat on his left leg.

Once at the apartment building, the desk clerk barely looked up to acknowledge them as he was used to seeing Eric with women armed with shopping bags. 

The ride up the elevator was a cozy one as well. Eric pulled Ashley to the front to stand in front of him, his hands resting on her hips. His hot breath was on the back of Ashley’s neck so she had to take slow, steadying breaths. The goosebumps popping up all over her body were a telling sign of the effect Eric was having on her but they couldn’t be helped. 

Eric was quietly observing Ashley’s body language, noticing how her knees were weakening. He pressed his lips lightly against the curve of her neck and heard a small gasp. “Sorry about that, there’s not much room in here with all the bags,” Eric said, smiling as she tensed up.  _ It’s only a matter of time… _

The elevator ding was a glorious sound to Ashley’s ears. As soon as the doors opened, she stepped out and took the shopping bags from Eric as he unloaded them. He smiled at her in a way that made her blush and she cursed herself for behaving like some young school girl with a crush. With both of their arms loaded, Eric led her down the short hallway and opened the door.

“Here,” Eric said as soon as they were inside and the door was shut. He handed Ashley the bags on his arms, “The laundry room is to the right of the kitchen. Why don’t you start washing your new clothes and I’ll order some takeout.” 

Ashley grinned nervously at him but nodded, “Okay.” The look in his obsidian eyes said he was hungry but not for food.  _ Just get the clothes started and then check your messages. If Shane hasn’t apologized or sent anything saying he wanted to make up, I won’t feel as much pressure around Eric. _

Eric was looking down at his phone when Ashley disappeared from view. As soon as she was gone, he unlocked her phone using the code from yesterday and deleted the messages and texts from both Shane and Marnie before blocking their numbers so he didn’t have to constantly check her phone. Eric powered down Ashley’s phone and placed it back on the table before putting his own cell on the charging dock to join her in the laundry.

Ashley was still removing tags and gave Eric a weak smile when he entered. “Hey, I’ve got almost half the tags off. What did you order for lunch?” She was distracted by her thoughts of Shane again, thinking that he could be in the city after all. She never told him where she was going because she herself didn’t know.

Eric was learning Ashley’s moods and knew immediately that she was thinking about  _ him _ again. “I haven’t ordered yet, I came to ask what you wanted,” he said as he came over and took the shirt from her hands and lifted her chin, “Ashley. I know you’re thinking about your old life again. Go check your phone messages, I’ll finish here and then we’ll order lunch, okay?” He gave her a quick peck before Ashley hugged him tightly. 

“Thank you,” Ashley replied with a happy smile, despite the fact she was wiping a tear from her eye as she headed to the living room. 

While Eric snipped the plastic and fabric ties from Ashley’s new clothes, he listened intently for the sound he was looking for. A few moments later, a muffled cry came from the living room and he smiled, knowing that she was one step closer to staying with him forever. He quickly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, getting ready to console Ashley. A few minutes later, she came back sniffling and stopped just inside the door, looking completely devastated. Eric dropped the dress in his hands and rushed over to her, giving her his sympathetic eyes. 

“Talk to me, Ashley,” he commanded gently as he rubbed her arms and waited for her eyes to meet his. He needed to see that Shane was dead in her eyes. 

Ashley instead fell into Eric’s arms and sobbed in his shirt, “My messages are gone before I got to read them. Why would my phone delete the messages like that? What if Shane tried to send a message while my phone was off?”

Eric held her close and stroked her soft brown hair, barely able to contain his own elation. “I’m so sorry. But, if Shane were interested in making up, he’d have found some way of getting in contact with you by now,” he said consolingly as her body trembled against his, “I know from experience what it’s like to search for the one you love, remember?”

She held him for a long time after the tears stopped falling, feeling numb but comforted at the same time. “Eric, thank you for being here for me,” Ashley said quietly before pulling back to look at him with her re-rimmed eyes, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Eric smiled at her, “I will always be here for you, Ashley.” He brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked at her perfectly pouty mouth, turned down in an unhappy frown. 

Lowering his lips to hers, Eric kissed her tenderly. Ashley closed her eyes and leaned into it. Using this window to capitalize on her feelings, Eric wrapped his arms around her waist just to see how far he could get her to go and deepened the kiss. 

His tongue flicked around her mouth but Ashley pulled back in surprise at the feel of metal in her mouth. “That’s also new,” Ashley said as he playfully stuck out his tongue piercing, playing with the barbell.

Eric smiled as he still held her, “I’ve missed kissing your lips. Being with you seems as natural to me as breathing.” He wanted her so badly it hurt. She was right here, ripe for the taking but he wanted to hear from her lips that she wanted him. 

Instead, Ashley smiled sadly, recalling that’s exactly how she felt about Shane and stepped back out of his embrace. “Eric, I can’t do this. It’s too fast. I mean, it’s nice to be wanted but it’s too soon.” Her face fell only a moment before Eric lifted her chin. 

“You have always been wanted, Ashley. I have always wanted you and I still do… but I also want you to be comfortable with me. We’ll take things at your pace, okay? Friends, friends with benefits, eventually lovers; whatever you want,” Eric said seriously, taking her hand in his and kissing her fingers.

“Thank you, Eric, for being so understanding and patient,” Ashley said as she smiled at him with grateful eyes. There was something about his whole demeanor that clouded her every thought. Eric was all-consuming with the intensity and sexual appeal that seeped from his whole being, amplified more by the undeniable physical attraction they had for each other and their past. 

Eric returned her smile as he cupped her chin, “Patience and understanding I have.”  _ I’ve waited eight years to be with this woman again, another day is nothing. _


	16. *Body Politics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After two days of searching, Shane loses hope when he finds out some disturbing things about Eric. Although Ashley still loves Shane, Eric’s tactics in keeping her mind off him seem to be working.

Tony Panitelli looked through the newspaper archives online for anything to do with Eric Winters while Shane took his well-needed nap. His son’s yearbook lay on the desk next to him, open to the page with Ashley and Eric’s class photos. Clicking through the search, Eric’s name appeared a couple of times, one being from eight years ago and the more recent from three years ago. The first article ended up being a photo from the high school where Eric had received a computer technology award. The latter article was a little more useful. 

“Eric Winters, video gaming prodigy known for creating the hit game ‘Cave Saga’ based off the comic books and announced pre-production of a role-playing platformer ‘Solarian Chronicles’, has recently purchased the gaming giant Blackstaff Technology and Entertainment. Prior to the purchase, Winters had been promoted to senior video game director just over a year ago,” Tony read aloud. He looked at the picture of Eric in the newspaper article and compared it to his yearbook photo. Satisfied that this was in fact the same person, Tony recognized the woman on his arm. She looked almost exactly like the yearbook photo of Ashley: short, black hair with bangs, a black choker, dark eyes and about the same height. The caption underneath the photo read, ‘Eric Winters and Holly Gaines.’

Tony decided to search the social media platforms for both Eric Winters and Holly Gaines, looking to match the photos with all the results that came up. Eric’s pages were private except for promotions for his work. Holly Gaines’s profiles, however, were public so Tony scrolled through her pictures, looking for evidence of her relationship with Eric. The more recent photos from the past year showed her with a different guy and long, blonde hair. He decided to search for Eric’s name on her page and found a few photos that matched the way she looked in the newspaper article and only one of those had Eric in it. 

More internet searches revealed several more photos of Eric with various girls throughout the past five years, all with the same short, black hair with bangs and brown eyes, all looking similar to Ashley. Tony saved these pictures to the computer for later, concerned that this guy was obsessed with Ashley and was getting more and more concerned with each picture he found.

He’d been searching about an hour when he heard a shuffling behind him, finding Shane rubbing his eyes and carrying a cup of coffee. “Come sit down, son. I think we have a problem,” Tony said gravely as he pointed to the chair next to him.

Shane was immediately awake at the concern in Tony’s voice, “What did you find?” He moved over to look over Tony’s shoulder. Watching the photos of Ashley look-a-like’s on Eric’s arm flash by on the screen, Shane felt the coffee in his stomach turning and took the seat next to Tony. 

“This guy wasn’t kidding when he said he’d been looking for Ashley for the years. Eric has been trying to replace her but now he has the real thing,” Shane thought aloud. 

He groaned, stood back up and walked back to the door, leaning against the door jam, “Whoever made that phone call is going to pay. Did they have any idea how much of a psychopath this guy was before they called? Tony, I swear…” Shane trailed off as hot tears of anger streamed down his cheeks.  _ Who the fuck would do this? Who hated him so much that they would do this to the woman he loved? _

Shane kept coming back to what Ashley had said yesterday when she tried to reason with him. “Monique. We need to talk to her. I can’t think of anyone else that would have any reason to hurt Ashley. She said Monique was jealous of us that night at dinner and embarrassed by being told off about the wedding,” Shane said to Tony before his face twisted in pain at the thought of having to cancel their wedding. Marnie had already sent out a notice to everyone on the list that it would be postponed due to ‘financial reasons’. He appreciated her optimism...

Tony’s face was set hard at the thought of Monique, his own niece, having anything to do with harming Ashley but they had nothing else to go on. “We’ll call a family meeting and get to the bottom of this,” he said, wiping his face with his hand. 

They locked the computer and went to find Marge to call the meeting. This wouldn’t be a pleasant one and none was looking forward to it…

Two hours later, the family were gathered in Tony and Marge’s living room under the guise that they were reporting in with news on Ashley. The hope was to flush out whoever was responsible for making the phone call to Eric Winters.

Shane sat in the living room with the others, staring at his phone. He flipped through the pictures he and Ashley had taken the day after she had saved his life. That night they had shared their first kiss and he wished they could go back to that day to relive it, forever. They had been so happy and their love was new, uncomplicated. Wiping his eyes, Shane tried texting Ashley again: ‘Ash, please. I’m losing my mind without you. Eric wouldn’t let me come up to talk to you and I’m worried. I love you.’

Tony stood in the center front of his gathered family and cleared his throat, “We found Ashley.” He watched the faces around the room for their reception of the news before he continued. Shane, Marge and Vinnie all were watching reactions as well.

“Apparently, she has been spotted in the Haversham District in downtown Zuzu so we’re focusing our efforts to pinpoint her whereabouts there,” he continued. Monique had a twist at her mouth, like she had some information to share so Tony called on her, “Mona, you do most of your shopping in that area. Have you had any luck spotting Ashley in the past two days?” 

Monique smiled, “As a matter of fact, I just came from the mall where Ashley was clothes shopping...with some dark-haired guy. It looked like they were pretty close, if you catch what I’m saying.” She then looked at Shane and faked an apologetic frown, “Shane, honey, I’m so sorry, but she’s really gone. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can move on...she sure did, and fast, I might add.”

Shane couldn’t hide the pain on his face at the news and let his anger loose, “Did the guy she was with look like Eric Winters, Mona?” He held up the yearbook photo so she could see.

There was a flash of fear on Mona’s face that was gone in a blink. Shane saw it, as did Marge, Vinnie, Tony and a few others. She was caught but tried to play it off, “Why does it matter? Ashley’s with some other guy and she looks happy. If she really loved you she’d be here at the house instead of all of us! Jeez, Shane! Don’t you see what’s going on here? I did you a favor. That lying, cheating bitch never deserved you and you know it.” Monique’s eyes teared up and she sniffed, staring defiantly at the family that scowled at her in disbelief.

Shane was furious. His blood boiled so hot he thought he’d pass out, “Why, Mona? Why would you do this to me? I thought we were friends...family... If it weren't for you, Ashley and I would be getting married in two weeks!” 

Mona scoffed, “You’re cute but really thick. I thought it was pretty clear, Shane. I WANT YOU BACK. We were good together before. I thought, if Eric got Ashley back, you could be with me again. Everybody would be happy.” 

Looking at Mona with so much hatred that made her shrink, Shane spat at her, “I never loved you, Mona. Ashley is the only woman I’ve ever loved.” He added quietly, almost to himself, “And she told me several times I was the only man she wanted but I didn’t hear her…” There was the truth, out for everyone.

Shane had to sit down. His head was spinning as he comprehended exactly what he had done.  _ If anything happens to Ashley, it’s my fault, _ Shane thought with his head in his hands.

Tony wanted to bring this to an end so they could work on fixing Monique’s mess and help take the attention off of Shane. “Mona, you put Ashley in danger. Eric Winters is an obsessive psychopath and there’s no telling what he’ll do to her if she tries to leave him. Get outta here, and don’t come back. The family is cutting you off, Mona,” Tony said quietly as many of the family nodded in agreement, “Now, everyone else, thank you for coming and for all your help. We won’t rest until Ashley is back home, safe.”

Shane vaguely remembered the family leaving, several of them apologizing for Monique as they passed him by. Tony and Marge left him on the couch while they readied dinner for the poker game tonight, leaving Vinnie to keep Shane company.

“Man, I’m so sorry. We’ll help you get Ashley back,” Vinnie promised as he put his hand on Shane’s back in comfort.

Shane looked at Vinnie with deep regret in his puffy, red eyes, “I really hope so, Vin. And if I do get her back, I pray she’ll still have me…”

Shane sat at dinner listening to the guys talk before he excused himself and went outside to try Ashley’s phone again. “Ash, please, if you get this message, I need you to call me. I’m in the city looking for you and I need to apologize. Just...call me back...please. I love you.”

He hung his head and sighed heavily. No returned messages or calls in two days and Shane was starting to feel tired all over. He wasn’t giving up yet, though. Ashley had pursued him for six months without giving up so he owed her at least that but he also had to help Marnie with Jas.  _ Yoba, please just let her call or let somebody find her away from Eric.  _

Tony had gone downstairs in the basement for his poker game so Shane was left alone to think and worry. Sure, he had been invited to join but he wouldn’t be able to play, not in the shape he was in. He took the Mermaid pendant out of his pocket and strung Ashley’s engagement ring onto it. Turning both in his fingers, Shane willed her to him, thinking as hard about her as he could hoping something was better than sitting here doing nothing...waiting on something. Well, Shane was sure  _ something _ was happening with the way Eric has Ashley tucked away, locked in his armed tower.  _ They have to come out sometime. Ashley isn’t one to sit for long. She needs to do something, she needs fresh air and sunshine or she’ll lose her mind.  _

Shane knew the longer Ashley was with Eric, the more likely he would have seduced her and the thought of her being with him made him want to die.  _ It’s my fault if she sleeps with him...I told her to go back to him…  _ Shane shook the thoughts from his head.  _ Don’t you ever forget that Monique is also to blame. _

“Worrying too much about things you can’t change won’t help you get her back,” Marge said when she came to sit with him. She put her hand on his, the one that held the pendant and ring, “Remember this hurt so that you never put yourself through this again. Then, once you have your Ashley again, love her like it’s the last day you’ll ever have together, Shane.”

Shane smiled weakly at Marge, “You really think we’ll be together again? I’m starting to feel hopeless right now...” He looked at her with sad eyes at hearing her soothing words.

Marge smiled knowingly, “Yes, I do. Ashley’s love for you is pure and strong as her spirit is wild and free. You give her all your love in return, knowing that she needs to breathe and she loves you more for it. Neither of you has tried to change the other but fully accepted each other as you are. Any change you make is because you want to be better for the other. These are the things I see in the two of you.”

Shane smiled to himself, understanding exactly what Marge meant. He has changed for Ashley but only in the best possible ways. But, there was still a doubt that lingered, “What if Ashley falls for Eric again? He’s been looking for her for years and he’ll do anything to keep her now. Marge, I can’t stand the thought of his hands on her.” He let the tears hanging on the corner of his eyes fall. He missed her so much and ached to see her smiling face again.

Marge sighed, “Yes, there is always the possibility of a man like Eric wooing Ashley into thinking she loves him but she does not. Her true love fights to save her from her tower or until she is strong enough to break free. It is only a matter of time and you will be there to sweep her up. She may be broken but you will put her back together, you are the only person who knows how.” She sighed again and patted his hand. “Now, go downstairs and play with the boys. It does you no good to sit up here being sad.”

Shane got up from the dining table and hugged Marge tight, “Thank you, for everything.” He wiped his nose and headed downstairs. Maybe the poker game would be enough to rest his mind. Or perhaps he could find out something useful to use against Eric.

——-

Eric watched Ashley pick at the noodles in her cup as they sat at the dining table quietly eating their lunch, watching the sunlight gleam over the city. She had put her hair up in a messy bun and changed into a t-shirt and shorts for pajamas. 

“Not hungry?” he asked quietly, looking across the table at the woman in utter agony. Eric longed to make her better, to kiss away all the pain and loneliness.

“It smells really good but I just can't eat right now… It’s just stress but I’ll be okay,” Ashley answered, glancing up long enough to give him a reassuring smile but it was anything but that. 

Eric wiped his mouth on a napkin and stood up, “Well, since you’re not able to eat, I’ll put this up and we’ll sit here watching the city. We can catch up some more, if you like.” 

He cleared down the table and watched Ashley hug her knees in the chair, staring out the window. Music always cheered Eric up so maybe it would cheer up Ashley as well. He brought out his cell and pulled up the Cure from his music library, putting it on shuffle and returned to the table.

“Remember when we went to see the Cure in concert?” Eric asked, pulling his chair next to Ashley and sitting in it backwards, elbows crossed against the back. “I thought our heads were going to explode when they played Lullaby and all the fake spiders fell from the ceiling,” he smiled at the memory.

“Yeah,” Ashley said grinning dreamily and gave a little chuckle, “Two landed on your head so you gave me one, like you were putting a flower in my hair.” She turned to smile at him, “That was our first concert together. I assume you were also trying to impress me then?”

“Of course,” Eric smiled innocently before becoming more serious, “Always, Ashley. I meant it when I said I’ve never loved anyone else. I’ve dated other girls but they weren’t you.” 

There was such longing in his eyes that she had to look away. It was exactly the same longing she felt for Shane so she couldn’t stand to see it from Eric. 

“I really do wish you had found me a year ago, Eric. If I had never met Shane, I wouldn’t have a shattered heart and you wouldn’t have to look at me that way,” Ashley said quietly, sniffling as she stood, “I should turn in early. It’s been a long day and I haven’t had much sleep.”

Before she could go far, Eric was up out of his chair and had grabbed her arm, “Wait.” 

Ashley stopped and turned her heavy head to Eric, eyes pleading for him to just let her go so she could cry herself to sleep. 

Eric wrapped her up in a hug and buried his face in her hair, “I know this face. You’re just going to cry yourself to sleep and I can’t stand the thought of that. Please, reconsider my offer.” He kissed the side of her head as she hugged him lightly around the waist, snuggling her face into his shoulder.

“Friends with benefits?” Ashley asked, leaning back to look at him, her eyes full of pain as she searched his face, lingering a moment on his lips.

He traced her jawline with a finger. “Or Lovers,” Eric answered with a smile, his black eyes sparkling with expectation. 

Eric kissed her tenderly but quickly deepened it, making her head cloudy with the passion he added. His hands explored her body with a familiarity that was both new and exciting, especially with what promise awaited them in the loft. Ashley pulled her shirt over her head, kissing Eric feverishly as he ran his hands up and down her back, grabbing her backside to grind into her. She let out a gasp, making his thin lips curl up as he slipped his tongue around her teeth. 

Eric paused his kisses long enough for Ashley to take his shirt off and she kissed the tattoo on his heart... _ Their tattoo _ ...before unbuttoning his pants. They moved along the living room leaving a trail of clothes behind them until they made it upstairs where Eric led Ashley to the bed.

“I’m going to make you feel so good. For eight years I’ve thought of all the things I could do to you and I’m going to do them all to you right now,” Eric whispered into her ear as he put his hand between her legs and started working her with his long fingers. 

Ashley panted, ‘yes’, needing to feel anything besides pain or sorrow. She had forgotten how good he was with his hands until she was breathing heavily and ended up lying on her back as he finished her. Ashley screamed into his mouth, her body writhing in ecstasy beneath him but he didn’t stop, even when Ashley felt she couldn’t take much more. Instead, Eric slid inside her, making her cry out louder as the waves of heat and raw passion shot up from her hips all the way to her face. She gripped the black satin bed sheets as Eric watched her, smiling as he pumped his hips in perfect timing in a steady pace, riding the climax. Ashley reached out and held him close, listening to his breath in her ear. 

“I’m just getting warmed up,” Eric whispered seductively before licking her ear and nibbling it.

Ashley was completely submerged in whatever vast ocean of pleasure Eric commanded as he continued having his way with her. Just when she didn’t think her body couldn’t climax again, he found a way or a position to make her. What felt like hours of the best sex she had ever experienced finally came to an end when she lay on her stomach and Eric finished her from behind one last time, grunting with effort as he came with her. As soon as he was done, he planted kisses along her spine before he pulled out and lay beside her on his back, his arms behind his head with a look of pure satisfaction on his face.

Ashley couldn’t move. Every muscle in her body was completely relaxed as if Eric had performed some sort of sexual massage yoga magic on her that rendered her completely immobile. She found a tiny ounce of energy, using it to roll over on her back and scoot next to him. 

“Holy, fucking, Yoba, Eric,” she said, staring up at the ceiling in a drunken stupor that made her sigh.

Eric’s smile grew larger, “I take that as a sign you liked it.” He propped up on his side to look at her, enjoying his work. As Ashley turned to look at him, he traced the outlines of her body with his fingers. 

“I’ve never felt like that before. It’s like I was transported to some astral plane of pure pleasure and ecstasy that was never ending. You knew all the correct currents and navigated them perfectly until we came back down again. How the fuck did you learn to do that?” Ashley asked with a wonderment on her face.

Eric leaned down to kiss her, stopping a moment to brush her cheek with the back of his fingers, “A magician never reveals his secrets but that’s pretty close to the reality of it.” The way he kissed her seemed to breathe a little life back into both of them and Ashley found she could move again. “You need something to eat after a workout like that. Plus, I’m not done with you yet,” Eric said as he moved his kisses down Ashley’s neck and climbed on top of her.

Her hands moved across his back, his frame still wiry like in high school but muscled slightly more. “There’s no way you can make me feel like that twice in a night. I’m calling your bluff,” Ashley whispered in his ear as a challenge when Eric’s hand moved to massage her breast. 

She kissed his neck, making him groan and felt him start to harden slightly.  _ There’s no fucking way he could do that again, not after sexing me up for two hours… _

“You just watch me,” Eric said before leaning back to see the look of disbelief on Ashley’s face. His black eyes sparkled playfully. He hadn’t had this much fun in a long time and he finally had the only woman he ever wanted.  _ I’m never letting her go again… _ “But first, food. We have to feed our bodies so we can feed our carnal desires,” he added, climbing out of bed and sucking on her nipple as he went.

Eric’s perfect black hair was disheveled and fell in his black eyes as he stood above Ashley, looking down at her perfect body and thanking the gods. He watched her roll gracefully out of bed to stand in front of him. With one hand, she brushed the hair out of his eyes and kissed him sweetly as she brought the other hand up to his chest, touching their tattoo. 

“Before we go downstairs, will you hold me?” Ashley asked, looking into Eric’s obsidian eyes to find his usual black abyss behind them. It was cold compared to the way he made her feel but she needed this. 

Eric did as she asked and held her, resting his cheek on her head. “Of course,” he said quietly, letting her hold him as long as she wanted.

When Ashley leaned back with a smile, Eric gave her one in return but the coldness in his eyes had warmed slightly and she felt this was the most genuine he had been since they found each other again. “So, are we eating leftover noodles?” she asked.

“I’d like to cook for you. I don’t have this state-of-the-art kitchen for looks,” Eric’s smile grew into a slightly arrogant one and he gave her a quick peck on the lips before they headed downstairs for the rest of their clothes. By the time they were at the bottom of the stairs, they had enough clothing to get dressed and did so quietly. 

Ashley excused herself to the restroom and came back a few minutes later. She came up behind Eric to hug his waist and kiss his back before moving beside him. He had chopped mushrooms already and was peeling shallots. “What are we making?” she asked.

“Sauteed oysters with a pesto linguine,” Eric replied with his half-smile, “It’s supposed to increase libido and it’s quite delicious.” 

Eric put on some music while they worked in the kitchen. He was an excellent cooking instructor, very patient with Ashley and she was an apt student. They didn’t play around in the kitchen but kept it structured and efficient, creating a meal fit to serve at any high-end restaurant in Zuzu City. 

By the time they had finished cooking and sat down at the dining table to eat, the city night lights sparkled with activity, creating a beautiful setting for the romantic evening ahead of them. Eric brought over a bottle of white wine and two glasses before popping the cork and went to pour some for Ashley.

She shook her head. “I can’t drink, Eric. I’ve been sober two years and I don’t want to become dependent on alcohol again,” Ashley said, placing her hand over the top of the glass.

Eric smiled knowingly and took the wine glass from her and poured a couple of sips in it, “It goes so well with this dinner. I’ll just pour a taste. It’s really only here to enhance the flavor, Ashley. Please.” He sat the glass in front of her and poured an equal amount for himself.

“Okay. Just a little,” Ashley replied with a grin. She had drunk a whole beer a month ago and had been okay. A few sips of wine wouldn’t hurt.

Having hadn’t had much to eat in the past forty-eight hours, Ashley cleared her plate to the point she nearly licked it clean. It was so good and Eric was right about the wine. The floral citrus of the white wine really complimented the nuttiness of the pine nuts in the pesto and the whole meal was made better by it. Feeling good about the small amount of wine not having any effect, when Eric poured more for himself Ashley asked for a little more for herself as well. Without hesitation, he poured the same amount as before and toasted, ‘to us’.

“To us,” Ashley replied, sipping the sweet and tangy wine. After letting go of everything and not fighting against her feelings for Eric anymore, things were so much better.  _ And they’ll just keep getting better. _

Eric swirled the last sip of his wine before letting it slide down his throat. “I’ll clean up while you put your clothes in the dryer,” he told Ashley before letting out a little chuckle. 

Ashley smiled as she downed her last sip of wine, “What’s so funny?” She stood and walked over to lean against the table, facing Eric.

He took her hand in his and smiled up at her, “This. It all seems so domestic, doesn’t it? The whole idea of us being a couple again, working together to cook dinner and doing the laundry before going to bed.” It wasn’t a life he was used to living but it was a novel idea that amused him greatly.

Ashley smiled warmly at him, “It is domestic, Eric, but that’s part of what being in a relationship is. Eventually, you’ll get used to it and it will become the new normal. I mean, what did you expect would happen after we got back together? I really have no idea what your life is like outside of the two days we’ve spent together.” When she said that out loud, it sunk in what was happening. Would Eric find that they’ve changed too much and not want her anymore? What if he still wanted her but didn’t want to get married? Did marriage really matter anymore?

The look on Eric’s face took on a seriousness that Ashley assumed was his deep thinking face. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking, “I’m a very private person, Ashley, you’ll learn that about me. As for my daily life, tomorrow morning I’ll be going back into the office for a couple of hours but you’ll have to stay here until I get you an extra key. Outside of working, gaming and cooking, there’s not a lot of other things I do. I still listen to music and read philosophy but other than that, I’m kind of a loner...just like I used to be.” He dropped his gaze to play with Ashley’s fingers. 

She cupped his chin and raised his head to face her, “Well, you’ve got me now, Eric. We’ll find things to do together and they don’t all have to be domestic but I can’t stay in your tower for long. I need something to do or I’ll go stir crazy.” Ashley smiled affectionately at her sad, sweet, and dark Eric.

Eric met Ashley’s gaze and pulled her down into his lap. “You mean it? You’ll stay with me. No more running away, no more tears. Just you and me, everyday?” His black eyes glossed over at the thought of Ashley being with him forever, giving him everything he ever wanted. 

Ashley wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck and rested her forehead on his, “I’ll stay as long as you want me to. No more running away, no more tears. Just you and me.”

Eric’s grin was so big it hurt, “You have no idea how happy you just made me, Ashley.” As he kissed her lips he couldn’t help but smile.  _ Ashley is mine forever now and nothing will come between us. _


	17. Shane in Distress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley’s resolve weakens further and Shane sees something he wishes he hadn't.

Monday morning, Shane checked his phone again but there was still no reply from Ashley. What if Eric had blocked her number? He’d have to have her passcode but he was some kind of fucking tech genius owning a multi-billion dollar company at the age of twenty-five. It would be easy for him to break into it. 

Shane had tried checking her Facebook account but the last thing she posted was the picture of the two of them at the ranch two weeks ago. Ashley wasn’t on social media much at all, she didn’t have much of a reason since Pelican Town was all she had. _Until I fucked that up…_

He could try calling from Vinnie’s phone. Ashley wouldn’t know who it was so Eric wouldn’t. Shane got up, stretching really good before getting dressed and ready for the day and heading to the kitchen.

Marge was cooking breakfast while Tony sat at the table sipping coffee and read the paper. 

“Good morning,” Shane said as he poured himself a cup. Giving Marge a quick hug, he sat with Tony. “Anything interesting in the paper today?” he asked Tony before blowing on his coffee.

“Well, there’s an article about Eric’s company launching a new video game this Friday but I don’t know how that’s gonna help us,” Tony replied with a little cough. He took a sip of coffee before continuing, “But the most interesting news isn’t from the paper.” 

Tony folded it up and placed it on the table, “I got a friend, owns a French restaurant in the city. He said the company is throwing a huge dinner Wednesday before the launch. Eric’s supposed to be giving a presentation so Ashley will surely be there.” The large man smiled big before patting Shane’s shoulder happily, “I got us reservations! You, me, Vinnie and Marge. We’ll be there to back you up. If we all try to get Ashley’s attention, you two can finally talk and you can get your girl back.”

Shane actually smiled. This was great news. If Eric is presenting then Ashley will be free to meet with him. He just wasn’t sure how to get a note to her. 

“That’s awesome, Tony. I need a suit, though…” Shane exclaimed before running his hands through his hair, “And a haircut.”

Marge came over with some plates to set the table. “You would do good to get a clean shave, too,” she said, smiling as she pulled his chin hair, “And look in Antony’s closet for a suit.”

Vinnie came wandering in, yawning big as he scratched his stomach. “Just in time for breakfast,” he grinned goofily as he sat down next to Shane. 

While they ate breakfast, everyone talked excitedly about the plans for Wednesday. They also talked about how best to get Ashley to meet Shane. They came up with a few options: they could slip her a note underneath her glass of water, Marge could intercept her when she left for the restroom or they could have a waiter deliver the message by mouth. 

Shane remembered his thought from this morning and asked, “Hey, Vin. Can I borrow your phone real quick,” holding out his hand. 

“Sure,” Vinnie replied sleepily, unlocking his phone and handing it to Shane.

“Thanks,” he replied before excusing himself from the table and stepping outside. He pulled up Ashley’s number and typed it into Vinnie’s phone, pressing send. 

The line rang a few times before it went to voicemail, “Hey, Ash, it’s Shane. I’ve been in the city since Saturday trying to find you. You haven’t returned any of my messages and I need to apologize. Please call back. I love you.”

Shane rubbed his eyes with the ball of his hand, trying to beat the tears that kept plaguing him. If Ashley didn’t call back, he would try again and again until he got through. 

He went back inside and handed Vinnie his phone, “Thanks, Vin. I left Ashley a message so you might get a call back.” 

The boys said goodbye to Marge and went to the restaurant to open for early lunch. With as much help as they were giving Shane, the Panitelli’s still had a business to run so he agreed to help by washing dishes, sweeping floors and bussing tables. It was difficult to be here when he knew Ashley was ten minutes away but there wasn’t much he could do but continue calling and maybe get a gift for Ashley for Wednesday night. So far, they hadn’t been able to catch her outside the tower. _They have to come out sometime…_

\-----

Monday morning, Eric awoke to an empty bed. He sat up and searched the sheets for any sign of Ashley but she wasn’t there. He jumped up out of bed at the sound of clinking dishes and found her making breakfast downstairs. This was different...but did he like it? Eric didn’t like waking up alone but Ashley had a reason: making him breakfast before he went to work. _This is a good thing. It’s what a good girlfriend would do,_ he reminded himself.

Heading downstairs, Eric rubbed the sleep from his eyes and came up behind Ashley to wrap his arms around her waist. She was struggling to get the right temp on the stovetop and jumped with a little yelp of surprise before laughing happily and snuggling into him.

“Good morning, my domestic partner. I am trying to make you breakfast before work,” Ashley said softly as Eric nuzzled her neck. 

“I woke up and you were gone,” he complained into her hair before kissing her head. “You didn’t have to get up so early to make me breakfast.” Eric suddenly found this domestic life a little...arousing.

Ashley smiled, “I’m used to getting up early but I’ll stay in bed tomorrow, okay?” She felt something harden at her backside and switched off the eye on the stovetop. When Ashley turned around in Eric’s arms to face him, she realized he was stark naked, “I guess breakfast can wait a little longer if you need some attention.”

Eric lost all control and led Ashley to the spare bedroom where he began to undress her and kissed her wherever his lips landed.

“Do you have any condoms down here?” Ashley asked breathily as he removed her underwear. 

Stopping immediately, Eric frowned at her. “You’re not on birth control?” Her question made him very nervous and his light skin paled to a ghostly white.

Ashley, seeing the panic on his face, immediately realized why he was asking...they hadn’t used protection last night. She shook her head slowly, “No. I can’t take it, that's why we used condoms…” 

Eric stepped back and put the palms of his hands on his forehead as he hunched over slightly. “I can’t believe this…why didn’t you say anything last night?” he yelled, standing straight to challenge her.

Ashley was not going to take sole blame for this mess. She pulled her underwear back up and shot back, “You didn’t think to ask either so don’t you _dare_ put this all on me. We were both horny last night and neither of us were thinking about anything else.” 

She went over to her bag and grabbed a pair of pants to put on. It was difficult to think about what they’re going to do about the situation with Eric naked and she barely dressed. Ashley turned away from him and started putting on her jeans.

“Look, let me get my phone and I can find out the last time I had my period. There’s a chance we’ll be alright if I’m really close to starting,” Ashley said firmly, mostly to calm herself. 

She went to the drawers and grabbed some clothes for Eric, tossing them at him. “I can’t think with you standing there naked. Put some clothes on and, for Yoba’s sake, stop freaking out,” she said as she stormed out of the bedroom. 

Eric grabbed her arm when she passed and straightened up, “Wait, I’ll come with you.” He wanted to be with her in case she decided to run away again. Everything else had been going so well... except for this major fuck up they were dealing with.

He snatched up the pants and pulled them on while Ashley stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. When Eric was finished, Ashley started toward the living room with him following closely behind. She picked up her phone and Eric watched her face harden as she saw she had no new texts. 

Ashley sighed heavily and unlocked her phone, looking for the date when she and Shane went to the therapist last. She remembered starting her period that night. It was the first time they hadn’t used protection, when she had made promises to never leave... but Ashley shook her head to get rid of that thought. _Focus, you don’t have time for this._ She found the date and compared it to this month. 

Eric was watching her intently with a slight frown on his face at the stream of emotions coming from Ashley. She was like a noisy, open conduit compared to his carefully contained chaos. 

“Looks like I should be starting in a week so it’s hard to say whether I end up…” Ashley said aloud but Eric interrupted her.

“Don’t...don’t say it. I can’t think about that right now. I have a reputation to uphold and that’s the last thing I need,” Eric said with a fearful intimidation that made Ashley look at him. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “What the fuck does that mean? Your _reputation_? What is so important about your reputation that you can’t stand the idea of having a kid with the woman you love?” Ashley asked loudly. For someone who had spent so much time looking for her, Eric didn’t seem to know what to do with Ashley besides fuck, eat, and sleep now that he had her. 

Anger flashed across Eric’s face, “You know I’ve never wanted children. Or did you forget that, too, when you got over me to be with Shane?” His face was red and his eyes were tearing up. 

Ashley felt a tinge of guilt but Eric bringing up Shane like that made her heart ache. Instead of getting sad, she let the anger take over, “Eric, that’s not fair. You never returned any of my calls after you moved and then one day your phone was disconnected. It took me _three years_ to get over you. Next thing I know, Jarrod is dead, the rest of my family had disowned me. My parents searched three weeks for me, finding me so drunk and drugged up that I had to be hospitalized. And then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, after I got better, they died. You’ve been traversing the world while I lost everything and everyone I had ever loved. I had no one, _NOTHING,_ until I moved to Pelican Town so don’t you _fucking DARE_ pull that card!” Ashley’s angry tears came out in large droplets, burning her face as they fell. Her finger jabbed his chest as the fire in her eyes burned into Eric’s, daring him to question again the misery she had endured the past seven years. If she had anywhere else to go, she would be gone right this minute.

The anger in Eric’s face left and he looked at her with his normal black eyes. Things had escalated too quickly and Eric didn’t want her to go so he had to change tactics. 

“I’m sorry, Ashley. I didn’t realize you had been through so much. But, know this, everything I did was for us: studying and working day and night, climbing up the corporate ladder. Everything I’ve done has been to get me back to you,” he said gently, bringing up his hand to wipe away her tears as her strong finger bore into his naked skin. She had gotten feisty in their years apart and Eric was enthralled, “And, I have no excuse...not calling you back. I was always so angry at my parents for making me leave and I didn’t want to take it out on you. I figured, since you had Jarrod, you’d be alright but I was wrong and I am so sorry.” He tried to give her his most apologetic face but he hadn’t exercised those face muscles at all until Ashley came back into his life. 

Ashley stared at him for a long while before taking her finger off his chest. Eric wrapped her in his arms, trying to hug her like she hugged him last night, when he felt that warmth in his chest. He buried his face in her neck and kissed it but she tensed up. 

“I don’t want you to go, Ashley,” Eric whispered in her ear, holding her tighter, “Please don’t be mad at me. I’ll try to be a better boyfriend, I promise.” He felt Ashley relax and wrap her arms loosely around his waist and knew his strategy had worked...this time. She was a wildcard so he would have to keep on his toes.

“Okay, and I’ll try to not get so emotional. I’m already the perfect girlfriend so I don’t need to change anything there,” Ashley said quietly, trying to joke but she just wasn’t feeling it.

She couldn’t help feeling guilty staying with Eric after she ran away from the farm...from Shane...with nowhere else to go for almost exactly the same reason. The only difference is that Eric apologized and didn’t throw their whole relationship on the ground, stomping it to dust. _And Eric didn’t tell me to go be with another man…_

Eric let out a chuckle. “You really are the perfect girlfriend,” he agreed, glad to have successfully diffused the situation. “I’ll pick up some condoms on the way home so we won’t have to worry anymore.” He combed her hair back and kissed her sweetly.

Ashley gave him a small smile and nodded, “Okay, you get ready for work and I'll make us breakfast.” She gave him a quick peck before heading back to the kitchen. 

Eric went upstairs to get dressed and came down in his slim, black business suit, black button up with white tie and shiny black and white Oxfords. He was clipping silver skull cuff links to the sleeves when he descended, giving off quite the movie villain vibe. The confidence oozing from Eric when he stepped into the kitchen made Ashley’s knees weak and the anger from several minutes ago was swiftly swept away. 

“Hello, hotness. Is this what you wear to work everyday?” Ashley asked with a grin as he came up to get a kiss. 

Their lips smacked noisily. “Only when I have a board meeting,” Eric replied with an arrogant grin, before sitting down at the dining table where Ashley had set plates and glasses of orange juice.

“Well, I like it...a lot. It’s about how I pictured you’d look after high school,” Ashley smiled as she plated the scrambled eggs and toast. She realized her boast for knowing her way around the kitchen was vastly inferior to Eric’s own skills after last night but she would learn. “Sorry for the simple breakfast. I’ve really only been cooking for the past four months and thought I was doing well until last night,” she chuckled apologetically. 

Eric was finding this humble Ashley amusing and smiled, “It’s alright. I’ll teach you. You’re very good at following directions.” He ate every bite deliberately, careful not to get anything on his suit. “So, what are you going to do today while I’m at work?” he asked, curious to see what she had come up with.

Ashley swallowed her sip of orange juice, “After cleaning up breakfast, I’m going to find a place for my new clothes because I’m tired of looking like I’m living out of a duffle bag. Then I’ll familiarize myself with the rest of the kitchen and the apartment, cleaning and dusting as I go. After that, I don’t know. I’m usually finished with everything: feeding the animals, watering, picking and weeding the gardens by about ten but that’s a lot of work. I’m not sure how to fill that time now…” She was trying not to get sad or worry. Shane and Jas would take good care of the farm, they were fast learners and were very capable. _It’s fine...so why am I still thinking about it?_

Eric watched Ashley’s face sadden when she started talking about the farm and figured she had thought about Shane, too. He was never far from her thoughts despite Eric’s best efforts to keep her mind busy over the weekend. The weekdays were going to be more difficult with him being gone for hours at a time so Eric decided to act. 

“After my meeting, I’ll take the rest of the day off. We can grab lunch, go see a movie…” he wiped his mouth on a napkin and came around to Ashley. Taking her hand, Eric kissed her fingers individually, “then we can come back here and we’ll count how many times I can make you come.” 

Pulling Ashley up to him, Eric gave her one last, deep kiss to remember his promises for later before heading out for work. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Make sure you’re wearing something I bought you, something nice,” he said before heading down the corridor to the elevator while Ashley stood in the doorway, waving goodbye until he disappeared behind the lift doors. 

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Eric had kept her in a lusty stupor since breakfast yesterday and she finally started coming down from it with his absence. Looking around at the beautiful but lonely apartment, Ashley felt her thoughts slipping back to the man that had broken her heart and pushed them down. _I’m with Eric now._ This was her last chance at happiness and knew she couldn’t afford to lose Eric, too.

Turning the music on like he’d shown her last night, Ashley got to work on clearing breakfast dishes and doing the laundry. After folding all her new clothes neatly on the guest bed, she looked for space in the drawers and the closet. If she consolidated some of Eric’s t-shirts and jeans into one side, Ashley had more than enough room for her clothes and the rest would go on hangers in the closet. While going through her new clothes, she picked out her outfit for their date in a few hours and laid it out on the bed. She also noticed a few things Eric had thrown in like two sexy little nightgowns and some cute underwear. _He’s more perceptive than I realized...these all fit perfectly,_ she thought, blushing. 

“Okay, that’s done and it’s only...eight-thirty,” Ashley said aloud, sighing deeply. Eric had only left an hour ago and she was starting to go crazy, “Go take a look around the kitchen, learn where everything is and then clean Eric’s immaculate apartment…” 

Ashley felt silly talking to herself but the alternative wasn’t an option. Thinking too much gets her twisted up so she conversed with herself as she went along, making a catalogue of where everything was. _This is going to be the longest morning ever…_ She was too busy to notice that her phone had lit up with a call, not ringing due to her phone still being silenced since Saturday. 

When Ashley heard the front door open, she called out, “Give me a few minutes!” 

Eric smiled and picked up her phone, noticing a missed call and voicemail from an unknown number. _Dammit!_ He started listening to it and, at hearing Shane’s voice, deleted it immediately. Quickly locking her phone and pulling his tie off, Eric made his way toward the guest room. Ashley was just heading out with a big grin. Eric noticed she was wearing a modest amount of makeup with the nicer of her casual dresses and the red heels.

She came up and kissed him sweetly. “Welcome home, handsome,” Ashley said, putting her arms around Eric’s neck, “How was your meeting?”

Eric returned her smile and hugged her waist before kissing her intimately, “It went well. How was your morning?” He really didn’t care, there was too much to think about with her ex lurking around the city, but he had promised to try.

“I got everything done early and have been practicing wearing my heels. I think I’ve finally got the hang of it,” Ashley said proudly, smiling sweetly at him. 

Eric looked at the happy Ashley before him, kissing her sweetly before stepping back, “Show me.”

Ashley walked to the living room and gave a little twirl, giving a little giggle as she did. “What do you think?” She felt really pretty for the first time in months. 

Eric laid his suit jacket on the barstool with his tie as he came over. “You look so beautiful I think we need to waste a little time before we go out,” he said with his black eyes twinkling lustily. 

Thirty minutes later, Ashley’s naked body lay draped across Eric’s. “Why did I bother getting all dressed up if you were gonna get me naked when you got home?” she teased and planted a kiss on his chest, right on their tattoo. 

Eric chuckled, “I hadn’t planned it. You’ve bewitched me, Ashley, and I guess I feel like I’ve got to make up for lost time.” His hand moved up and down her spine. Ashley sighed contentedly just before her stomach started growling. “Didn’t you ever eat before you came here?” Eric asked incredulously.

Ashley blushed, “Well, yeah but I’ve been stressed since I got to the city. I don’t eat when I’m stressed.”

Eric slid out from under her, propping up to see Ashley’s face. She didn’t look to be stressed now. In fact, she almost looked happy. “Are you stressed now?” He asked quietly, needing to hear it from her mouth. He traced her lips with his fingers before teasing her with a kiss on her chin instead of her mouth.

Ashley smiled up at him, “Not currently. I’m actually feeling happy for the first time in days. When I stopped fighting my feelings for you, things got so much better.” _Plus, no one is looking for me. I can finally move on without feeling guilty._

Eric looked down at his perfect trophy girlfriend and brushed the hair out of her face, “Good. I love you, Ashley.” 

She ran her hands through Eric’s hair and pulled him down for a kiss. He kissed her long and passionately, killing as much time as he could before they went out. After two and a half days of relentlessly showering her with his affection, making her his sexual goddess and a little tactical maneuvering Ashley had given up on any future but theirs. Eric had won.

\-----

Shane checked Vinnie’s phone on the way back to the house that night to see if Ashley had responded but saw she had not. He was leaving for Pelican Town on Thursday because Jas was still in fits and Marnie was out of ideas. She said he could come back out later but Jas was in bad shape and the town had started to talk. 

Vinnie pulled into the driveway and put the car in park, “Just keep trying. If you can’t get her before Wednesday, it’s okay. The Passade is the best shot we’ve got, Shane.” His friend gave him an optimistic smile.

Shane returned it and breathed out. He nodded, getting pumped, “I hope so. This is my last chance, Vin. If I leave Thursday without Ashley, I’m afraid I’ll lose her forever…” 

Vinnie grinned ear to ear, “No way, man. I’ve got a good feeling about this. I know she’ll go back with you. She has to after she sees you.” He stood up and patted Shane’s back before running to find Tony.

Shane stood up and wiped his face, feeling the beard that had grown. He went to the mirror on the wall and also noticed how badly he was in need of that haircut. _If you’re going to win her back, you have to look the part. Your current bum-ass won’t do._

Marge was in the kitchen fixing dinner. That woman was always cooking something; it was no wonder Tony had gained as much weight as he had. Shane was surprised he hadn’t gained weight eating her food. In fact, he’d lost weight not being able to eat much. 

“Hey, Marge. I’m gonna go find a suit,” Shane said, stepping over to the stove to see what she was cooking and give her a quick hug.

“Yes, yes, dear,” Marge smiled before giving him a motherly frown, “But you should shave your beard. You don’t want Ashley to see you so ragged. You need to look your best. Don’t forget to check Antony’s closet first. He had a few suits and you two were always about the same size. It will be good to see them worn again.” She kissed Shane on his cheeks and patted his chest.

“Thanks, Marge. You and Tony have done so much. I don’t know how to ever repay you...whether I win Ashley back or not, I promise to make it up to you,” Shane said gratefully, his eyes tearing up before he left for Antony’s old room. 

Marge kept Antony’s bedroom spotless as if he were still here; fresh bed sheets, dust-free curtains, clean clothes folded neatly in his dresser drawers. The photo booth pictures of Antony and Patty still clung to the mirror even though the clear tape had yellowed slightly. Shane looked at the Tunneler’s posters hanging on the wall before moving to the framed picture next to it. There in the middle of the gridball team stood Shane and Antony. He sighed heavily at the smiling faces staring back at him and remembered their high school gridball days fondly. 

“Ash and you would have gotten along well,” Shane said to Antony’s picture before heading to the closet. 

He opened it up and looked through the clothes that were hung up, stopping a moment at Antony’s Varsity Jacket before finding the three suits Marge told him about. Taking them out of the closet, Shane laid them out on the bed. He held each one up in front of the mirror to see if any of them fit. The navy suit looked good so he closed the door and tried it on, finding the fit good enough to pass for dinner and for getting his girl back. 

There was a soft knock on the door. “Shane, it’s Tony. Can I come in?” the man asked through the door.

“Come on in, Tony,” Shane responded so Tony opened the door, standing just inside, “Marge said I should wear one of Antony’s suits if they fit.” He looked at his reflection in the mirror and realized he missed his best friend more than ever. It would be good to have his back at a time like this but Shane was thankful to have his family pulling through for him and Ashley.

Tony looked at Shane’s reflection and took a shuddered breath, “He’d have wanted you to wear it. I know he’s here with us, Shane...He would’ve liked Ashley, ya know.” 

“I’m going to get her back. I can’t stand the thought of losing her forever, Tony, it’s just not an option,” Shane said, determined to do whatever it took to convince Ashley that he was wrong and wanted her back. Not to mention how devastated Jas would be if Ashley didn’t come home Thursday. Marnie had told him about the song in the barn and how Jas had nearly called Ashley ‘mommy’ so it wasn’t just Shane that needed her.

Tony put his hand on Shane’s shoulder, “Ashley will listen... She may not even know you’re here in the city. You said yourself that she’s not responding to your messages or to Marnie’s. That doesn’t sound like the Ashley we know so Eric’s probably cut you guys off somehow.”

Shane’s face was set with anger at the thought of Eric keeping her in a bubble like that, not letting her make the decision. Knowing that made it a tiny bit easier to cope with the fact that Eric had most likely slept with Ashley. Shane knew how she craved physical contact, especially when she was upset, and the wrong kind at the right moment would push Ashley farther away from him.

“I need to get a haircut and a shave Wednesday. Hopefully she’ll recognize me before Eric does,” Shane told Tony. He took the suit jacket off and placed it back on the hanger. 

“Just remember to breathe, son. You’ll be fine. Be thinking about what you’re going to say while you still have time,” Tony said with a wink before heading out. Before he shut the door behind him he added, “Oh, Marge said to wear the burgundy striped tie with the navy suit. Said Ashley would like that best.”

Shane smiled and waited for Tony to shut the door before changing back into his t-shirt, jeans and hoodie. He hung up the other suits in the closet and found the tie Marge said to wear, draping it over the navy suit jacket and taking it to the guest room he’d been staying in.

Not wanting to sit around the house and mope the rest of the afternoon, Shane decided to walk to the city. It took nearly an hour by foot to get there so he’d have enough time to think and, if he was lucky, may even run into Ashley. 

Hands in his hoodie pockets, Shane’s sneakers hit the pavement. The day was cooling as the dark clouds on the horizon loomed closer. Another storm was brewing and there was an electricity in the air that sparked Shane’s determination. By the time he’d made it to the outskirts he’d decided he needed a gift… _something that says I’m sorry for being a fucking idiot and that’ll let her know I love her,_ he thought as he browsed the store windows.

Spotting a specialty gift card store across the street, Shane crossed the street and went inside to search for the perfect ‘I’m Sorry’ card or gift. While there, he browsed the cards but every one of them felt generic...interpersonal. He did find a pillow that said ‘Hug this pillow until you can hug me’ and continued his search. _Ashley can use this on the bus ride home,_ he thought. 

Shane smiled when he saw a delicate glass rose with gold filigree on the petals. It was small enough that he could carry it into the restaurant but sturdy enough to not break so easily. Finding a pretty box to wrap it up in, he took them both to the front.

“Will this be all?” the woman behind the counter asked in a friendly voice.

“Yes, please. Uh, can you help me wrap it up nice? It’s a gift for my girl...I kinda messed up...big time...I hope this will be enough,” Shane explained, hoping the woman could give him some validation that this would be appropriate enough.

“Ah, yes. This should do nicely with a thoughtful card,” the woman said, pointing to some handmade cards on display next to the glass roses Shane had missed. “There are the typical ‘I’m an idiot’ ones or the ones that say ‘I really fucked up’, depending on the nature of the mess up.” She smiled sweetly but there was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that said she did this often.

Shane went to check out the cards but still didn’t find anything that said the right words but it did give him an idea. They were always quoting songs because they were both shit at coming up with poems so he would write one for her. There was no way Ashley would doubt how sorry Shane was if he wrote her a poem to apologize in his own words.

“Just the rose and pillow, please. I’m going to write her a poem to go with it,” Shane confidently told the lady.

She smiled happily as she wrapped the rose in a pretty box, tied with a simple ribbon. After Shane paid, the woman handed him the bag and wished him good luck. 

Once out on the street, Shane headed toward Eric’s apartment building. Somehow, even if he couldn’t see Ashley, just knowing she was close made him feel better. He brought out his phone to start typing his poem, adding a line or two as inspiration hit and letting the words just flow naturally. 

The apartment building loomed in the distance, about six blocks away, when Shane noticed that the sun was starting to lower in the sky. It would be dinner time soon but he needed to be close to Ashley before going back to the Panitell’s. He crossed the next street and saw the front of the building come into view. Putting his hood up, Shane made his way up the sidewalk with the intention of simply passing by when he saw Eric and Ashley just about to enter the building and his stomach jumped. 

Ashley was wearing a cute black dress with red and white flowers and shiny red heels. Eric was holding the door open for her and put his hand on her lower back before following her inside. Shane made his way close enough to watch them walk hand-in-hand to the elevator. He wanted to turn to leave but he couldn’t get his muscles to move. It was like he was paralyzed in a waking nightmare. He watched in horror as Eric pushed the button then pulled Ashley close, kissing her intimately. The only consolation Shane could take away from this horrifying scene was the look on Ashley’s face after they broke their embrace... _She didn’t look at Eric the way she looks at me after we kiss._ It looked as though the light from her eyes had been extinguished and even her smile wasn’t as radiant. _You did this to her when you told her to go be with Eric…you snuffed the life out of her..._

Shane was finally able to move after the elevator doors closed but it felt like a part of him had died. He knew Eric had seduced Ashley but seeing the way he kissed her just now hurt a lot more than he thought it would. Instead of going back to the Panitelli’s, Shane decided to keep walking. He picked a direction and went, needing to put as much distance between him and Eric before he followed them upstairs to beat the ever living shit out of him. He came to the old bar he used to frequent but walked past instead of going inside. If he were to get Ashley back, he needed a clear head. Besides, if he walked in there now, his sobriety and everything Ashley had done for him would be for nothing. He owed her more than his life. _Yoba, please...I can’t live without Ashley...I need her…_

As soon as the sun had begun to set, Shane grabbed the next taxi and rode back to the Panitelli’s. He called Tony to let him know he was on his way back, not wanting them to worry. As the car bumped along the rough road of the outer city roads, the gift-wrapped rose and pillow rolled up in the shopping bag in his lap, Shane added more to Ashley’s poem. It was coming along pretty well and he hoped to have it finished by Wednesday. 

When the cab pulled up in front of the house, Vinnie met him outside. “Hey, man. You look worse than when you left… need to talk about it?” his friend asked, worried that Shane had another run-in with Eric.

He shook his head, “Inside, Vin. I need to borrow your phone, though. I think I know how to let Ashley know I’m in the city.” Desperation and darkness clouded his mind. He needed to think of something else besides what was going on right now in Eric’s apartment and maybe a strange text from a strange number would be enough to at least pause their excursions.

Vinnie unlocked it and handed his cell to Shane without a word. He pulled up Ashley’s number from Vinnie’s contacts and typed his message: ‘At the end of the day, we should give thanks and pray’. Pressing send, he handed it back to Vinnie and went inside.

Looking down at his cell, Vinnie just shrugged and followed Shane inside, “Okay. Ma said she saved a plate of dinner for you. It’s in the microwave.”

The boys went into the kitchen to find Tony making a pot of coffee. “Hey, Shane! You want some coffee?” His smile fell at the sight of Shane’s dark mood.

Shane went to the microwave to heat up the plate Marge saved him, “Sure. Thanks, Tony,” and sat down at the dining table with Vinnie. “I saw them,” he said quietly, head down on the table.

Tony came over and sat next to Shane while Vinnie’s eyes widened. “Where? What happened?” Tony asked, waiting for him to look up.

“I bought Ashley a couple of gifts and decided to walk to the apartment building. When I got there, they had just gone inside. I wanted to go after them but I just froze, Tony, and then I had to watch as he kissed my girl. I couldn’t do anything but stare at them...as much as I wanted to move I just couldn’t…” Shane said as he looked up to stare at the table as if he were watching it again. “Part of me died seeing them like that,” he added quietly as the tears streamed. 

Vinnie’s usually optimistic outlook dimmed with the news, “Maybe she has to, Shane. What if he’s making her?” 

Tony put his hand up to quiet Vinnie, “We knew this was a possibility, Shane. You want this girl back and we all know Eric is bad news. Keep fighting! Don’t give up now. If anything bad happens to Ashley, you’ll never forgive yourself.” 

Shane started sniffling, “Oh, I’m not giving up on her yet. She tried for six months to get me, I’m not giving up after three days.” There was no way, not after what he saw today. _Ashley doesn’t love Eric so there’s a good chance she still loves me._

That night, Shane barely slept, knowing Eric had Ashley in his bed. His whole heart hurt but he hoped the poem would tell Ashley how he felt. He hoped and prayed she got his message, knowing it was from him... He hoped and prayed it would all be enough to get her back… For someone who had lived most of his life without hope and prayer, Shane sure was putting a lot of stock in it now. _Yoba, please let her come back to me..._


	18. *All That Glitters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric continues pouring on his affection, hoping Ashley will say the words he’s waited eight years to hear while Shane continues to hope, even when he feels it’s futile...

Tuesday morning, Eric woke up to see Ashley’s sleeping face next to him again. She kept her promise to be in bed when he woke up this morning and he was elated.  _ She’s always been thoughtful like that.  _

Eric had to admit, it almost felt like a dream after waiting so many years. Out of all the girlfriends he’d had over the years while trying to find Ashley, they were nothing but poor replicas of the real thing, discarded after a few weeks once he’d had his way. He is a man that enjoys his carnal needs but none of the girls was able to give him what Ashley had given him...love. 

The only time Eric had ever felt anything was when he was with Ashley. She was the key to his happiness, to feeling  _ something _ besides the emptiness that had consumed him for so long. 

Ashley started to stir and Eric watched her lips slight partly. He couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her. As perfectly peaceful as she was sleeping, Eric found himself waking up and needing attention before they got started on the day. 

The moment Eric’s lips touched Ashley’s, she made a little noise and her eyes fluttered open. She smiled into the kiss as Eric slid on top of her, “Good morning.” 

He smiled, “Good morning, beautiful,” moving his kisses down her chin to her neck. 

Eric slowly made his way to her breasts and took one in his mouth while his fingers found their way to her inner thigh. Ashley wriggled underneath him, moaning lightly as her hands explored his body. As soon as Ashley was wet enough, Eric slipped a condom on and eased inside her. She squeezed his backside before moving her hands up his back to hold him close, panting in his ear as he moved in and out.  _ This is the way I want to wake up every morning, _ Eric thought as he listened to her breathing increase and become more frantic.

“Eric,” Ashley whispered breathily in his ear, “Go with me...please.” 

Eric clenched his backside just before Ashley screamed with her climax. His body shuddered with each thrust as her nails dug into his back, moaning loudly as he joined her.

“How do you command me when I am my own master?” Eric asked her with a gentleness in his black eyes. He wasn’t one to take orders from anyone but Ashley was the only exception.

Ashley’s eyes twinkled playfully, “A newfound power I possess, perhaps.” She kissed their tattoo and raised her hands to his face. Looking at the only person in the world that cared for her anymore. 

Eric smiled at her playful banter but said in all seriousness, “Love  _ is _ the strongest power in the universe.” He kissed her deeply, intimately, as his body shuddered one last time and he had to pull out before he got too soft.

“Like you said, I’ve bewitched you and now you’re mine,” she teased with a sweet smile. Her fingers combed through his hair while the other hand went behind his neck.

He realized he was falling deeper for Ashley when she smiled up at him and it made his chest hurt.  _ How is this possible? _ The urge to kiss her again was so strong that Eric leaned down and kissed her so tenderly it made him dizzy. 

“I don’t have to be in the office until late this morning. Let’s grab breakfast and I’ll take you into work with me, show you what I do,” Eric said as excited as Ashley had ever seen him before. 

“That sounds awesome. Truthfully, I was worried about what I was going to do today to keep busy. Your apartment is already spotless and I can’t organize anything else,” Ashley responded with a furrowed brow. 

Eric wanted to correct her, saying this was  _ our _ apartment, not just his but he didn’t...not until Shane was out of the city. As long as he was here, Eric couldn’t afford to fully explore these newfound feelings. Instead he rolled out of bed and held his hand out to Ashley. 

She smiled and took it, slipping out of the silk sheets to stand with Eric for her hug. After two nights sleeping with Ashley, he knew she was always expecting a hug or a cuddle after sex; something else he was getting used to. 

They quickly got dressed and headed downstairs to catch a cab. This time, Ashley sat in the middle and cuddled up to Eric, making him smile. The restaurant they had breakfast at was a bit smaller than the one Eric had taken Ashley to before and was within walking distance to his building. 

When they got out of the cab, Eric pointed it out, “That’s my building there and my office is at the top.” His smile was arrogant but his handsome face made it somehow charming.

They went inside the restaurant and ate a fairly large breakfast before walking a block to Eric’s building. Holding Ashley’s hand the whole time, he watched her reaction to seeing everything from the video game posters to the architecture and the elevator. The shaft and lift were made of glass, overlooking the city and each floor as it went up. They took it all the way to the top floor, Eric’s office, to where the whole top was also made of glass.

“So, Eric, I guess you like glass. Is it a transparency thing?” Ashley joked as they stepped off the lift. 

Eric smiled, amused at her reaction, “Something like that. It’s freeing, in a sense. I don’t like the confines of walls and the glass lets me feel like I’m connected with the outside world without having to be in it constantly. Plus, the views of the city at night are quite beautiful, as you know.” 

Coming up behind Ashley, Eric swept her hair to the side so he could kiss her neck. “I like to watch people.” His hands came around her front and he held her tightly, watching the city below.

“I don’t see how you’re going to get any work done with me around to distract you,” Ashley joked quietly as she turned in his arms for a kiss. 

Eric stared at her a moment, his face beginning to hurt from smiling so much. “It’s a challenge, I admit, but one I’m happy to take on.” 

He kissed her again before pulling her over to his desk, patting the top of his black, granite desk for her to sit. Ashley rolled her eyes playfully and smiled as she hoisted herself up, crossing her legs. Eric’s eyebrow went up at having her legs crossed right in his face, especially since she was wearing her other dress and the red heels.  _ I’d like to see her in nothing but those red heels tonight, _ he thought, hand reaching up her calf to her thigh before she smacked it.

“Uh-uh! Work first, then play,” Ashley laughed, unable to contain her amusement at the shock on Eric’s face at being denied something before it screwed into what she assumed to be his pouty-face. “If you’re a good boy and get your work done, I’ll let you do whatever you want to me...within reason,” she added sweetly.

Eric’s lips twisted into a wicked smile as he stood, spreading her legs apart to stand in front of her. He grabbed her ass with his hands and pulled her to him, “Oh, I’ll be a real good boy and you’ll get what’s coming to you tonight.” He kissed her with such a fierceness that it took her breath away. 

Ashley gasped for air as soon as he broke their embrace. When she looked at him her smile fell a little, fearful of the burning lust in Eric’s eyes. “That’s enough distraction,” she said nervously, “I’ll sit somewhere else while you work, okay?” 

She started to slide down but Eric stopped her with his body, putting his hands on her hips to keep her up on his desk, the fiery desire in his eyes lessened. He gave her a sweeter kiss, “No need. I’m under control now. I want you to sit with me.” He smoothed her dress before sitting back down in his black, leather desk chair. 

Eric was well aware that Ashley was spooked by his ravenous behavior just now by the way she quietly stared out the window. He continued as normal, unlocking his computer and bringing up his current projects. 

“See, this is the new game we’re getting ready to launch,” Eric said proudly, pointing to the screen before smiling up at Ashley. “The Solarian Chronicles Part I will be released Friday and the other four games will launch every two years after. This will be my greatest legacy to the company. After these games are finished, I’ll sell the company and we’ll travel around the world to wherever you want.”

The forced smile she gave when she turned to Eric concerned him. He wasn’t used to dealing with women with so much spirit and will as Ashley has. She had changed a lot since they were last together but he liked how strong she had become, it just meant creating new tactics to subdue her.

“I’m proud of you, Eric, I really am. You’ve worked hard to get here,” Ashley said, putting her hand on his and giving it a squeeze. It was difficult to be excited about this big event having just come into the life he’d already built. She was truthful in being proud of him, it just wasn’t something they’d built together. 

The moment had been ruined at her lack of enthusiasm and generic response. “Thank you, Ashley. You don’t have to sit there anymore if you don’t want to,” Eric said quietly, his brows furrowed slightly as he thought about how to fix this. 

Ashley slid down and put her arms around Eric’s neck, “Thank you. I really don’t want to distract you more than I have already. We have plans tonight so we can’t be here all day.” She kissed his cheek before wandering off to look at the wall decorations more closely.

Every now and then Eric would glance up from his email or current project to watch Ashley. She mainly walked around or sat staring out at the city. Once, she picked up her phone and he caught her making a face before she shrugged it off. 

After four hours of barely getting anything done, Eric finally stood up to stretch. Ashley was reclining on the lounge chair with her ankles crossed and phone in hand. When Eric approached, she stopped her video and looked up at him curiously.

“I’ve got all I can get done right now so let’s get an early dinner,” Eric said wearily as he stroked her head. Putting one hand in his pocket, he held the other out for her to take.

Ashley smiled up at him, “Good. I’m starved.” She slipped her hand in his and Eric pulled her to her feet, grabbing a quick peck before they walked hand-in-hand to the elevator.

As soon as they were inside, Eric turned to Ashley, “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to startle you with how strong I came on to you. As I said before, Ashley, I find you irresistible and I would do anything to keep you by my side forever.” 

Ashley looked into his eyes for any sign of deception but found nothing but the blackness. It had shaken her for sure, seeing this savage libidinous side of Eric but where else would she go? The Panitelli’s might take her in but they were Shane’s people. “I shouldn’t have been joking around so much. You were supposed to be working, it was my fault,” she responded, looking away embarrassed. 

Eric hugged her to him, “You’re perfect, Ashley. I feel like I’m living in a dream, having you here with me now. My life is finally perfect. I have everything I ever wanted.” 

Ashley snuggled into Eric but she was still thinking about the cryptic text she had gotten. It came from an unknown number, reading: ‘At the end of the day, we should give thanks and pray.’ The words seemed strangely familiar but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Maybe it would come to her after she ate, otherwise, she’d just delete it.  _ It’s probably a wrong number _ …

They ate a quiet dinner at a little Chinese restaurant a few blocks away. As always, Eric ordered for them both, adding extra spring rolls since he knew Ashley liked them and they were also his favorite. 

Eric watched her intently like he does, eating each bite deliberately to savor the flavor. He was a sensual man of many tastes but his favorite by far was Ashley. 

She nibbled away at a spring roll, enjoying the salty crunch and perfect balance of flavors in the filling. They weren’t greasy like others she’d eaten but clean, making her feel less guilty eating half of what Eric ordered. 

“These are the best spring rolls I’ve ever eaten. Can we get a dozen to take home?” Ashley asked jokingly after wiping her mouth. 

Eric’s lips curled up, “Of course. Anything you want, Ashley. How’s the szechuan beef?” He was glad to see her healthy appetite had returned. A happy Ashley was paramount to his plans. 

“Really, really tasty. It’s spicy but not so much that I can’t enjoy the other flavors. You know the best restaurants, Eric,” Ashley replied with a smile. 

He grinned at her compliment, “I’m used to having the best of everything. Life is too short to enjoy anything but the finest things. Now that you and I are together again, I get to share the best of everything with you.” 

Reaching across the table, Eric held Ashley’s hand and she smiled warmly in return. She was glad for Eric, finally having the perfect life he’d always wanted but it didn’t seem fair. She had struggled to stay afloat for so long and then finally fell in love with a really good man.  _ Her _ life had been perfect before Monique told Eric where to find her. Maybe she didn’t deserve any more than this…

\-----

Wednesday morning, Ashley woke up before Eric but, as promised, she stayed in bed so he wouldn’t wake up alone. She turned to look at his sleeping face, so quiet and barely breathing. He was so pale, sleeping so peacefully, he looked dead lying on his back with his face turned toward her, one arm above his head and the other at his side. Ashley looked at his smooth chest, lingering on their tattoo a moment before studying the rest of him. The sheets barely covered his nakedness but they were so thin they did little to obscure what lay beneath, clinging to his every curve and mound. 

She waited for the feeling she got when she would look at Shane in the mornings to surface with Eric but they didn’t. Expecting the tears to fall at the thought of him, Ashley was surprised to find that nothing came. Her heart felt empty…  _ I  _ am  _ a hollow shell… _

Even though Eric had told her he loved her at least once a day, Ashley still couldn’t bring herself to utter those words despite the fact that she would never see the man she loved again. Despite Eric constantly pampering her with gifts and gourmet foods, and the sex being great, it didn’t fill her. It had no substance. Ashley told herself that this was all part of the healing process and that, in time, she would learn to love Eric again but she didn’t fully believe that would be the case. Every guy that passed her wearing a blue hoodie, sweater or jacket was Shane. Every pizza place and theater reminded her of movie nights at the farm with Shane, Jas and Marnie. At this point, the only thing holding her together was survival, and that meant keeping Eric happy because he was the one person in the world she had left. 

Right on cue, Eric started stirring. The hand next to his side reached out for Ashley so she took it and waited to greet her dark prince when he opened his black eyes. Eric rolled on his side and smiled just before opening his eyes. “I like waking up with you by my side,” he whispered before she leaned in for a kiss, her other hand on his chest.

Ashley knew what was next so she snaked her hand under the sheets to take hold of him. He was already hard but moaned in delight at the extra attention before returning it. A few moments later, Eric was sliding on top of Ashley for his new morning wakeup routine, both panting and moaning until they went together.

Eric smiled down at Ashley, her face flushed pink and lips curled up in a happy smile. “And I can definitely get used to this every morning,” he murmured into her mouth before kissing her again, biting her lip playfully as he pulled back and out. He rolled out of bed and stood with his arms open. 

Ashley slipped out of bed for their standing hug. It was something she enjoyed and was the only time that Eric had any warmth in his eyes.

“I love you, Ashley,” Eric said as he held her tightly, reveling in the warmth he felt in his heart at moments like these. He was used to Ashley showing her love in actions, not in words, but it still bothered him. After everything he’d done for her, he still longed to hear those words from her lips.  _ Tonight, after dinner, she’ll tell me… _

After breakfast, Ashley stood at the door and waved goodbye to Eric as he left for work, “Have a good day. See you this afternoon.” Once the elevator doors had shut, she went back inside and cleaned up the kitchen before grabbing her phone to watch cooking videos. Remembering the text from the unknown number yesterday, Ashley pulled it up to read again: ‘At the end of the day, we should give thanks and pray.’

The words hit Ashley like a brick wall and the room began to shrink. She recognized those words... _Rod Stewart’s song, ‘Have I Told You Lately’,_ she thought. Shane had sent the message... but why was it from a different number? She pulled up his contact and noticed his number had been blocked. _What the fuck is going on? Did Eric do this and why would he?_

Her shaking hands pulled up the message and replied: ‘To the one...Have I told you lately...’

Ashley watched with bated breath as the other person responded: ‘I love you’

She cried and put her hand over her mouth, as tears started to fall. Her fingers moved swiftly to reply: ‘I just noticed your number was blocked so I unblocked it. Whose is this?’

Shane responded: ‘Vinnie’s. Ash, I’ve been looking for you since Saturday. Can we talk in person?’

_ So Shane  _ has _ been looking for me...Does Eric know he’s in the city?  _ Ashley felt her stomach lurch as she looked at the time. Eric would be home soon to get ready for the big dinner tonight. He wanted them to get their hair and nails done together before they went to the restaurant. She responded: ‘Eric will be home soon. There’s a big presentation at the Passade tonight. It’s the only time I’ll be alone. He never leaves my side for long...’

She expected Shane to take longer to respond but he came back immediately: ‘We know. The Panitelli’s and I got reservations so we could talk. Meet me by the fountain outside at nine o’clock.’

Ashley’s heart leapt at the thought of seeing Shane again. She responded: ‘I’ll meet you right after dinner.’

Shane smiled big before letting out a loud whoop that startled Vinnie, who had been sitting at the dining table next to him. He responded: ‘See you tonight.’

“Good news, I take it?” Vinnie asked Shane with an excited grin.

“Great news. It was Ashley that answered and she’s going to meet me tonight around nine. Oh, and she unblocked my number. Apparently, Eric did block me so he probably blocked Marnie, too. I need to call and give her an update,” Shane rambled excitedly, running his hand through his long hair and rubbing his itchy beard.  _ Yoba, please let this night go well. I can’t go home without Ashley tomorrow. _

After Shane got off the phone with Marnie and Jas, Vinnie drove them to town to get their haircuts and for Shane to have his beard shaved properly. It was a family-owned barbershop so they could walk-in and get out quickly.

“Heya, fellas! What can we do for ya this afternoon?” the balding gentleman greeted them when the boys entered. He looked remarkably like Tony, probably an uncle by the difference in age. The man came over and shook their hands.

Vinnie spoke first, “Heya, Uncle Gio. Shane and me are here to get all spiffied up. We’re going to a fancy french restaurant tonight and need to look like a couple of fine gentlemen.” He was grinning ear to ear again but Shane couldn’t fault him for being excited. 

Uncle Gio looked them up and down with a concentrated frown, nodding his head, “Yeah, we can fix you two up right nice. This have anything to do with that pretty girl the family’s been tryna get away from the weird creep?” His eyebrow went up knowingly, “Yeah, we know what Mona did. Ain't proud that one of us would do that. It’s a damn shame but we’ll make you turn her head again.” 

Shane smiled genuinely for the first time in days, “Thanks, Gio. I appreciate it.” 

Gio had the boys sit in chairs and he took to grooming Shane personally while another barber, cousin Luca, fixed up Vinnie. Uncle Giovanni’s hands moved deftly with a speed unlike Shane had seen before, trimming away and styling his hair. After the cleanest shave Shane had ever had, Gio put an aftershave on that smelled close to the one Shane had at home. Since he’d left his cologne at home, Shane bought a bottle that was similar before they left. Both boys felt underdressed as they stepped out onto the sidewalk, getting a couple of approving glances from passersby.

On the way back to Vinnie’s house, Shane was typing away on his phone, finishing the poem he had been writing for Ashley. He kept reminding himself that the effort meant a lot and his Ashley would appreciate it. Marge gave Shane a piece of stationery with roses printed on it that he transferred the poem to in his neatest handwriting, folded it, and put it in a matching envelope that fit perfectly inside the ribbon on the rose box. Writing Ashley’s name on the outside of the envelope, he slid in place and set it on the table next to where his suit hung before getting ready.  _ Showtime, _ he thought, looking in the mirror at the new Shane reflected back at him.  _ This is it, the moment of truth. Will Ashley be coming home with me or will she stay with that psycho _


	19. The Two Princes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight, Ashley has a decision to make: Leave with the man she yearned for or stay with the man who held her captivated by his sexual charms?

The elevator dinged and Ashley took a deep, calming breath. _Everything is going to be fine._ After packing up her duffle bag and sliding it underneath the bed, she had been practicing walking in stilettos the rest of the morning in an effort to keep her mind off of Shane. As far as she knew, Eric wasn’t a mind reader but she wasn’t taking chances. When the front door unlocked and Eric stepped in, Ashley smiled sweetly.

“Hey! Look what I’ve been practicing,” She said as she walked over to Eric where he waited for his welcome home kiss, “I don’t think I’ll break my ankle but we should still bring the ice pack.”

Eric looked tired but he smiled anyway as Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck, standing eye to eye and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. His arms hung loosely around her waist, hands brushing against her backside before he straightened up and pulled back. 

“We need to grab all our things for tonight. I still have a lot to do so let’s grab a quick lunch and go to the stylist. We’ll finish getting ready at the office,” Eric replied as he gave her a peck and headed upstairs. 

No ‘good job’ or comment about how great her ass looked or anything. This was not Eric’s typical behavior but Ashley wasn’t used to his different moods yet. Instead she deflected his current one with encouragement. 

“Just remember to breathe. Tonight’s going to be great,” she encouraged, watching him head upstairs and into his bathroom without looking back. 

With a slight frown, Ashley slipped out of the stilettos as she made her way to the guest bedroom. Packing the shoes in a box, Ashley gathered up her dress and jewelry. Eric had also bought her a clutch purse to match that was just large enough to fit her cell phone, mascara, lip gloss and a tube of lipstick.

Eric came in shortly after she’d placed all her things on the bed. “You’ve gotten everything, then?” he asked but looked through it all anyway, even after Ashley nodded. “Good. I want tonight to be perfect,” he added, turning to her and slipping his arms around her waist. Eric kissed her tenderly before hugging her a moment, “This is a big night for us, Ashley.”

Ashley wasn’t sure how to respond but snuggled into him, “Yes it is.” _Yoba, give me the strength I need to get through this night._ She wasn’t sure what would happen when she met with Shane tonight. Would she be leaving with the man she yearned for or would she stay with the man who held her captivated by his sexual charms? One thing Ashley was sure of was that Shane still wanted her and she had a choice to make. 

Eric pulled back to look into Ashley’s eyes, like he was trying to see where her mind was. “I wish we had more time,” he said quietly just before kissing her intimately. When he broke for air, Eric added, “But we’ll have plenty after we get home.” 

His kisses moved to her neck and she closed her eyes, intoxicated by Eric’s essence. No wonder it was so difficult for her to think when he was around. This man knew every button to push, every curve to caress, and all right places to plant a kiss, getting the most out of his every touch. When Eric pulled back to see Ashley’s eyes closed, he smiled to himself knowing that no matter what happened tonight, she was his.

“I’ll call the car around,” Eric said before squeezing her tight, making sure his hardened bulge ground into her pelvis before he headed to the living room. _Oh, the things I am going to do to this woman when we get home… She won’t be able to move for days._ _And tonight, she will say the words I long to hear._

Ashley held onto the bed bannister after Eric left. _Damn. He has_ me _bewitched, not the other way around…_ After a moment, she was able to stand on her own. He’s so intense, all the time, and constantly needs attention. Ashley went to the bathroom to wash up before consolidating her things so it would be easier to carry.

They were downstairs ten minutes later with their dinner attire in hand as the driver came around. Eric had called a company car to ferry them around this afternoon so they were able to load everything into the trunk of the car until they finished running around. After a quick lunch and salon visit, they were heading to his building to get ready. Ashley’s favorite part of Eric’s workplace was the glass elevator, which they rode to his office now. 

“We’re not getting dressed here, are we? The whole city will be able to see,” Ashley said self-consciously, looking for a screen to change behind. There was no screen but Eric had his own bathroom. 

Eric gave her his knowing half-smile and clicked a button on the wall. All of the glass dimmed, appearing to frost over. “These aren’t just any glass walls, they’re smart glass, Ashley. Friday night, after the release of Solarian Chronicles Part One, they will become a living advertisement to the city. It will be quite the spectacle,” he said, removing his clothes while he watched her with his lust-filled black eyes. 

The salon had made Ashley up so nicely she felt like someone else. Her hair was down and curled into large, voluptuous waves. Her makeup was layered on thick but her skin looked smooth and her smoky eyes were sultry. The dark, red lipstick she wore was the kind that wouldn’t smudge but it looked wet and made her lips even more pouty. Ashley looked amazing and she hadn’t even put her dress on. 

Ashley started to undress, unbuttoning her blouse first so she didn’t mess up her makeup before slipping off her pants. Eric was in his underwear when he walked over to plant kisses on her chest. He liked the way her strapless bra made her cleavage look. His fingers traced the outline of her breasts down her waist to her hips. 

“You are a remarkably beautiful woman, Ashley. I’d skip tonight and make love to you right here, right now, if I could get away with it,” Eric said as his breath shuddered with excitement at the thought. He let out a low, seductive growl, “Put your dress on and let me zip you up. You’re making me mad with desire.” Eric took a step back to give himself space. His urges were too strong for the moment.

Ashley blushed slightly, it was difficult not to feel a certain thrill at being so desirable. Just because she didn’t love Eric the way he loved her didn’t mean she didn’t care about him. Yes, she was pissed he’d blocked Shane’s number but they’d address that later tonight. For now, she was with Eric and she needed to get dressed, focusing on hearing what Shane had to say later tonight.

Stepping into the dress, Ashley pulled it up around her hips and slipped her arms in before turning her back to Eric. He stepped forward, brushed her hair over her shoulder, planted little kisses behind her neck and zipped up her dress so slowly she could almost count the number of teeth.

“There,” Eric said with finality, “Put on your shoes and let me look at you.” He was still in his underwear and Ashley could see why; He wouldn’t be able to put on pants right now if he tried. Her face flushed red at the sight and she felt her body heat up as she slipped her feet into the black and white stilettos and stood before him.

“Absolutely stunning. We’ll be the envy of every man and woman tonight. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have something I need to deal with,” he added with a sly smile, happy to see Ashley openly blush at his erection.

Once Eric was out of the room, Ashley wandered over to the mirrored column to see her reflection. The shimmery, black dress he’d picked out for tonight fit her like a dream. The loose cap sleeves were just on her shoulders and the v-neck plunged low to where her breasts split, pressed together by the strapless bra. The dress hugged her waistline and hips before flowing just below her knees. With the stilettos and jewelry, Ashley felt like a celebrity getting ready to walk down the red carpet. She’d never felt so glamorous. 

Eric came back out much more relaxed, so Ashley helped him get dressed in his very slim, fitted black suit with a white tie with a silver and diamond clip. He looked very much like he did Monday when he went to his board meeting but this suit had a bit of a shimmer to the fabric. When he had finished putting on his diamond and onyx silver cufflinks, Ashley realized why he had picked out her outfit and accessories; they were dressed to match completely, down to the black and white shoes. 

“You look devilishly handsome,” Ashley complimented with a kiss, almost forgetting she was wearing lipstick but then remembering it would stay on anyway. When she came away, he had nothing on his lips but a smile.

“Let’s go turn some heads,” Eric said with a grin, leading Ashley to the elevator with one hand fingering the box in his pants pocket and the other on her lower back.

Ashley was nervous about being in public with Eric dressed like this. It was one thing being in a sexy, revealing dress alone together but everyone’s eyes would be on them. It was making her nervous. Well, that and meeting with Shane.

Eric held her hand and squeezed, nothing much got past his attention. “Hey, don’t be nervous. You look amazing and I’ll be with you all night. Our table is center front of the stage so even when I’m presenting, I’ll still be right there, okay?” Eric comforted with a grin, bringing her hand to his lips.

Ashley smiled back and squeezed his hand in return, “I’ll be fine. It’s mostly being in front of so many people dressed like this.” 

“You have nothing to worry about. We’ll be the envy of the dinner party. It’s all part of being rich and powerful,” Eric boasted proudly.

Their car pulled up to the curb but Eric didn’t get out immediately. Instead, he waited on the driver to open the door for him before stepping out with his arrogant grin and held out his hand for Ashley. She took it and eased out, expecting to see a lot of people on the sidewalk to greet them but there were only a few people, journalists with cameras. 

They greeted Eric and asked a few questions about the game’s launch before getting some pictures. Eric, who had held Ashley’s hand the whole time, brought his arm around her waist and brought her close before they were showered by a barrage of camera flashes. After ten minutes with the press, Eric held her hand again as they walked inside the restaurant for last minute preparations. 

When he said they’d be turning heads, he wasn’t kidding. Ashley was concentrating on not falling down and breaking her ankle or else she would have shrunk away to hide. She was used to living a low-key life away from the spotlight. In her old life, being in the spotlight meant spending the night in jail or going to court.

The ballroom was set up with enough tables for fifty people or more with their table in front of the large stage. Theirs was the only one with a black roses and diamonds in the center display. 

“If you’ll have a seat, I just need to go over a few things with the tech guy. There’s been a last minute change and everything needs to be perfect. I won’t be long,” Eric said smoothly, kissing her fingers before heading up the stairs and backstage. 

“Okay,” Ashley said with a smile, watching him disappear behind the curtains before she sat down. She took her cell phone out to check the time. Half past six. The presentation wouldn’t start for another half hour and her meeting with Shane wouldn’t be for another two and a half hours. 

Ashley sat back in her chair, slid her phone back into her clutch, and set it on the table. The only thing she had to do while she waited was to sit and stare at the giant screen behind the stage. The tech guy was running tests to make sure everything was working properly so she watched the show. The images flickered silently across the screen for several minutes before Eric’s smooth pre-recorded voice came over the speakers for the pre-presentation video. After making sure the video and audio synced up, the tech guy stopped that video and Ashley saw something with black, silver and white roses pop up on the screen for a moment before the screen went blank again. 

Eric stepped out from behind the curtain talking excitedly to the tech guy when he looked up at Ashley and motioned to her. “Ashley, will you please join us on stage for a moment? We need to mark a few things,” he said, coming most of the way down the stairs and holding out his hand.

She took it and Eric led her to a spot on the stage where the tech guy kept glancing at her while he moved her to where he needed and marked the spot with an X using white tape. He then had Eric stand in the spot next to her but just to the side and marked it with black tape. Eric stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at Ashley with a little smile on his thin lips, like he knew a secret.

When the tech guy finished, he said, “That’s it. Thank you.” He scribbled something down on a piece of paper and shot another glance at Ashley before heading backstage again. 

“See, I told you. Even Adam couldn’t keep his eyes off of you,” Eric smiled arrogantly before pulling Ashley into a kiss, “You are an extraordinary woman, Ashley, and I want you by my side always.”

Ashley smiled, knowing that Eric was waiting on a reply but she wasn’t sure what to say. “You’re a phenomenal man, Eric. We do make a lovely couple.”

“Yes, we do,” Eric answered, seeming to be satisfied by her answer, “Let’s look over the menu to see what we want, shall we?” He went down the stairs before Ashley, stopping at the bottom to wait for her. 

Going up the steps was much easier that going down the steps in these damned heels so Ashley took it very slow. She was halfway down them when her ankle gave out and she fell forward. Ashley’s hands went out, landing on Eric’s shoulders while he caught her by the waist and helped her down the rest of the way, looking her over.

“You should be more careful, Ashley,” Eric said, straightening his own suit before standing up straight, “Luckily, your shoes aren’t scuffed too badly and your dress isn’t damaged. Go freshen up in the restroom and we’ll look over the menu when you get back.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Nearly breaking an ankle to get down these stairs in the damned shoes that she didn’t want to wear in the first place and he’s more worried about the way she looks than if she was injured. Ashley was near to tears in frustration. 

If that had been Shane, he would’ve caught her easily and they would have laughed about it afterwards as soon as he made sure she was okay, kissing away any pain. Of course, Shane would never have approved of stilettos if Ashley said she didn’t want to wear them. 

Ashley did her best not to limp as she made her way to the restrooms. She was still turning heads but she didn’t care. Eric’s image was getting to be too big of a hassle, especially if it meant she’d have to live up to his standards every day. When she reached the ladies room, she was on the verge of shedding tears but she fought it. There was no way she was going to ruin this makeup before Shane got to see her. If she had to be made up pretty like this for Eric, Shane sure as hell deserved to see her at her prettiest. 

Limping to the mirror, she checked to make sure her makeup was still good when someone stepped out of the bathroom stall. It was a slightly older woman with curly ginger hair pulled up in a loose but elegant bun. 

She flashed a friendly smile at Ashley as she made her way to the sink, “Nice shoes.” Washing her hands, she studied Ashley’s face in the mirror, “First time wearing stilettos?”

Ashley’s face flushed but she returned the woman’s smile, “Is it that obvious? My boyfriend picked them out so we’d match. I’ve been practicing for a few days but I’m dying.” She’s not sure why she was warming up to the woman so easily. Perhaps it was the woman’s nice smile or the fact that she’d been cooped up for four days with only Eric to talk to… if they even took time to talk.

“Here,” the woman reached into her handbag and brought out a roll of medical tape, “Use this to tape your third and fourth toes together. It should help with the pain.”

“Thank you so much,” Ashley replied with a grateful smile. She eased out of the heels and took enough tape to go around her two toes twice and taped them as instructed, stopping to rub her left ankle. Thankfully it wasn’t swollen. Once finished wrapping both feet, Ashley handed the tape back to the woman. “I appreciate your help. I’m Ashley, by the way.” 

Taking the tape and sliding it back into her bag, the woman smiled warmly, “Nice to meet you, Ashley. I’m Gillian. Enjoy your evening.” She turned and left the restroom.

“You, too, Gillian,” Ashley called after her. _Man, I need to get out more...Eric can’t keep me locked in his tower forever…_

Slipping her feet back into the heels, Ashley washed her hands, straightened her hair and smoothed her dress before taking a deep breath and heading back to the ballroom. Eric was talking to Adam again but stopped when he glanced up to look at Ashley.

“There you are. I was beginning to worry,” Eric said, flipping through some papers on a clipboard while she made her way over. He still didn’t appear to be worried about her ankle.

“These shoes were not designed to be worn by humans, Eric,” Ashley exclaimed miserably, making Adam snort.

Eric frowned at them, “Please don’t complain, Ashley. I bought you this outfit so we’d match tonight. It’s only for a few hours and tonight is important to me.” He held his hand out to her, “How is your ankle?”

 _He’s been busy, that’s why he didn’t ask before…_ When she took Eric’s hand, he pulled her close. 

“It’s not swollen so I think I’ll be okay,” Ashley replied with a smile, “But I’m never wearing heels this high again.” She gave him a sweet kiss before he could complain. 

Adam cleared his throat, “If you’ll just sign off on this, we’ll be ready in ten, Mr. Winters.” He stole another glance at Ashley before Eric gave him the clipboard and hurried off.

“Now, the menu,” Eric said, directing Ashley to the table, pulling a chair out for her. 

She wasn’t sure if she could even eat tonight so she let Eric pick for her. He would have picked anyway. Ashley’s mind was too busy worrying about her conversation in two hours. _What if Shane wants to make up? Will Eric let me go like he promised at breakfast Sunday? Probably not now..._

——-

Shane stared out of the Panitelli’s vehicle, his leg bouncing nervously. He had extra mints in his jacket pocket, a napkin in his pants pocket and the wrapped gift in his lap. The closer they got to the restaurant, the more nervous he became. What if he saw Eric and Ashley together and started crying or ended up punching his face? Whatever happened tonight, Shane was sure of one thing: he would keep fighting for Ashley until she was his again or told him to stop. 

The vehicle pulled up to the curb at the Passade and they all got out. Tony gave his key to the valet before taking his wife’s arm with Shane and Vinnie walking on either side of them, looking around for Ashley. 

Just off the main entrance to the left, there was a huge ballroom with a large screen displaying Solarian Chronicles. In front of the screen, center stage, was Eric Winters. He was giving his presentation to the company, who were all in rapt attention. As they passed on their way to their table, Shane spotted a brunette sitting at the center front table. _Ashley,_ he thought, making his stomach jump.

Just as the Panitelli’s took their seats, a thunderous applause came from the ballroom indicating the end of Eric’s speech. Ashley would be meeting him soon so Shane excused himself to meet her.

“Good luck,” Tony said for the family as Margie and Vinnie smiled along. 

Shane’s stomach was full of butterflies, “Thanks for everything.” He smiled and headed out the side of the restaurant to the water fountain, casting another glance toward the ballroom as he went. Ashley was just standing up so Shane hurried outside to wait. He stood next to the fountain with the box in hand, trying to calm his nerves. _What if Ashley doesn’t want me anymore?_ He knew how suave and cool Eric was but hearing him on stage tonight, Shane realized that man had a silver tongue with most other people as well. 

Ashley walked outside to the water fountain and saw Shane standing in front holding a small, rectangular package. He was so handsome in his nice navy suit with a burgundy striped tie and was looking down at the ground nervously. Her stomach tightened and, when she saw his nice haircut, freshly shaved face and caught a whiff of his cologne, her chest tightened as well.

“Hey, Shane. You look really handsome,” Ashley said, her heart leaping in her chest. She fought the urge to rush into his arms but the guilt from running away and sleeping with Eric was too heavy. Ashley suddenly felt dirty... tainted. Shane wouldn’t want her now. _He won’t love me anymore, not after what I’ve done._

Shane’s head popped up and his jaw went slack when he saw her; hair curled in soft bouncy waves, makeup that made her already great skin look smooth like a porcelain doll and her chocolate eyes soft and seductive. His eyes lingered on her wet, dark red lips before moving to the black cocktail dress she wore. It hugged her perfect shape like a glove but the black and white stiletto heels seemed uncomfortable. As if Shane still knew her thoughts he came up, brushing her cheek with his hand. Goosebumps covered her body with the chill of Shane’s touch and she felt her knees weaken. 

“Hey, Ash. You look incredible,” Shane said quietly, looking in her eyes to see if the spark of life that was missing the other day had returned. “I have something for you. It’s not much but I hope it tells you how sorry I am for fucking things up between us. I was an idiot for not listening to you and I let jealousy cloud my judgement.” His eyes glossed over with tears but he didn’t want them to fall, not yet. He had to be strong. 

Sniffling, Ashley took the box Shane held out for her. “I thought we were here to talk?” she asked quietly but Shane just smiled.

Opening the envelope first, Ashley unfolded the paper inside. Her eyes started to water when she read the first line, ‘I Never Meant To Fall in Love’. Shane had written her a poem. They joked often about how it was impossible for either to form other words to express their feelings, that’s why they quoted song lyrics but here it was. _He wrote me a fucking poem...how romantic..._ she thought happily as her chest tightened a little more.

Shane reached into his jacket pocket for a napkin and handed it to Ashley, watching the tears well up in her eyes. All seemed to be going well as she read the words that had poured out of his heart. He was glad he spent the better part of two days writing it. When she finished, she folded it up with and replaced it in the envelope, slipping it underneath the box before opening it. Inside was a delicate glass rose with gold filigree. It was beautiful. Ashley fingered it before putting the box lid back on, still sniffling.

“Shane, I don’t know what to say. I...I don’t deserve this. Not after what’s happened,” Ashley whispered as she dotted her eyes. “If I had known you were here Sunday, I’d have come home with you then.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell Shane she’d been with Eric but something in his eyes told her he already knew. 

Shane smiled sadly, “I know, Ash, but I’ve already forgiven you. Part of the blame falls on me and you were right about Monique. If she’d kept her fucking nose out our life...” Ashley saw a flicker of hatred at the mention of Mona’s name and Shane’s jaw flexed. He took a calming breath, “But we can put that all behind us now. I have to leave tomorrow; Jas isn’t eating or sleeping and Marnie needs help. I was hoping you’d come with me, that is, if you want to.”

Ashley’s head started getting light. This was exactly what she had wanted but she couldn’t just leave Eric could she? She had promised him she’d stay. _You made that promise to Shane first and you know you still love him…_ “What about Eric?” she asked, unsure of what to do about the man who held all of her belongings back at the apartment but had wooed her relentlessly for days in an attempt to rekindle their past relationship.

“What about him?” Shane asked back, confused at what her issue was before he remembered she had no clue he was even in the city until this morning. “Ash, did Eric tell you I came by the apartment to talk to you Sunday? You were upstairs, showering. I just wanted to talk but he had his armed security guards throw me out on the curb,” he explained, trying to contain his anger since it wasn’t Ashley’s fault.

Her face turned red with anger. _That bastard. Eric knew if Shane showed up I’d leave..._ “He certainly did not. He’s been keeping me busy with shopping, eating out and...other things…” she said angrily, adding violated to her list of how Eric made her feel now in Shane’s presence. “I’m so stupid. I wish I’d stayed at the farm and told you to fuck off rather than get on that damned bus,” Ashley added quietly.

Shane raised her chin to look at him, “Hey. We both made mistakes but I want us to start new. I love you too damn much to give up now. But, if you tell me right now that you don’t love me anymore, I’ll leave.”

“That’s the problem, Shane. I do still love you, I never stopped… but I feel like I’ve fucked up too bad to deserve you anymore,” Ashley said, her eyes almost begging him to put her out of her misery.

Instead of telling her it was okay to go back to Eric because she wasn’t worth anything to him anymore, Shane slid his arms around her waist and kissed her tenderly at first. When Ashley didn’t pull away, he kissed her more intimately. Her arms slowly went up around his neck as she leaned into the kiss. Oh, how she missed him. Missed his taste, his soft tongue, his cologne and the feel of his strong arms holding her, keeping her safe. Everything around them melted away and time stopped for that one, perfect moment; all was right in the world again. The warmth in Ashley’s heart awoke and consumed them as they cherished each other’s presence.

When Shane finally pulled back for a breath, he rested his forehead on hers, “I told you, Ash. I’m not giving up on us. My bus leaves tomorrow at noon from across Panitelli’s restaurant. If you don’t come home with me now, I’m coming back until you tell me to stay away forever.”

The thought of never seeing Shane again was too much. “Never. I don’t want you to ever give up on us. If I could leave with you right now I would,” Ashley replied, running her fingers through the hair at Shane’s neck.

Shane smiled at her, his gorgeous green eyes sparkling, “What’s stopping us? We can just walk...right now. I’ll call the Panitelli’s when we’ve made some distance.” The thought excited him, it seemed safer than letting her go again.

Ashley smiled sadly, “I can’t. Despite what Eric has done to us, he’s done everything to make sure I had a roof over my head and food to eat. I can’t just leave him without telling him first; I won’t stoop to his level.” 

Shane knew Ashley meant well but he didn’t trust Eric to just let her go. “You are too good, Ashley. Please, just leave with me now. I’m afraid if you don’t, you’ll be lost to me forever.” He tightened his grip on her waist as if it would keep her, pleading with his emerald eyes.

“I love you so much, Shane,” Ashley said, giving him a sweet kiss, “If you’re that worried we can leave after dinner, okay? The least I can do for Eric is have his company dinner go well.” She grabbed one last quick peck and started to walk away but she remembered the rose.

Ashley turned back around, “Oh! Keep this for me. If Eric sees it, he’ll wonder where it came from.” She handed the box to Shane but slipped his poem in her clutch. One last look at Shane and she was off again, hurrying to the restroom because Eric was surely looking for her by now. 

He watched Ashley rush off as the feeling of her lips and body against his still lingered. Right before she left, he saw the light and life had returned in her eyes. If there was any doubt that true love existed the proof was with the two of them. Shane turned the box in his hands and gave her a moment before heading back inside. _Tomorrow, everything will be put back right. Ashley and I will start new and start right._

\-----

Eric had been talking to the neighboring table when he realized that Ashley had been gone for quite some time. He knew the food would be coming out soon so he excused himself, heading to the restroom to look for her. As Eric passed by the fountain area, he noticed a man that looked remarkably like Shane standing next to the fountain with a box in his hands. He stopped a moment to scan the area for Ashley but didn’t see her. _Should I go say hello or watch the show?_

Before he could make up his mind, a delicate hand touched his shoulder lightly. “Hey, handsome,” Ashley said, making Eric snap around quickly. “What are you looking at?” she asked curiously, craning her neck to see.

Eric stepped in front of her, hoping to block the vision of who stood outside if it really was Shane. “Nothing. I was on my way to check on you. Dinner should be out shortly,” he smiled and took her hand in his.

Shane had slipped back to his table while Eric’s back was turned so Ashley smiled, “Lead the way, I’m starved.” She made an effort not to look toward the fountain but noticed Eric did. _That was way too close..._

Eric and Ashley made their way back to the ballroom and toward their table in front. Instead of sitting down, Eric led Ashley over to the stairs to go onstage. 

“What are we doing? I thought food was coming out?” Ashley asked in a nervous whisper.

Eric smiled at her once they got to the top of the stairs, “I have a surprise.” He led her to the center stage and tapped on the microphone, “Can I have everyone’s attention, please.” 

The whole ballroom quieted as everyone turned to face the stage, wondering what else was going on. Normally, Ashley liked surprises but she was already out of her comfort zone and this was way worse. She wished she could shrink into a bird and fly away.

“I hope everyone has had an enjoyable evening so far. First, I have been told dinner is on its way so your wait is nearly over,” Eric continued to happy applause and some whoops in the crowd. “Yes, we’re excited for dinner as well, it’s supposed to be a wonderful culinary treat. But, before the food comes out, I would like to introduce you all to a very special woman, my girlfriend, Miss Ashley Webber.” Eric smiled at Ashley so she smiled and awkwardly waved at the crowd, noticing they had raised the attention of some of the customers in the restaurant, including Shane and the Panitelli’s.

Eric turned back to his company and continued, “This woman is the reason I am here today. I worked unceasingly day and night to purchase this company, to bring us back together and, tonight, I will make it official.” He noticed the man that looked like Shane among the onlookers and his smile grew larger.

With a quick nod to Adam, the tech guy, Eric positioned them on their Xs from earlier. The screen behind them flashed with the roses she’d seen before accompanied by an instrumental version of the Cure’s ‘Pictures of You’. 

_Fuck…_ Ashley thought, watching as Eric took a small box out of his pocket and went down on one knee.

“Ashley Webber, since we’ve found each other again, my life is finally perfect and I can’t live another day without you, so, will you marry me?” Eric asked with his black eyes glistening.

The room started spinning as Ashley looked down at Eric, the onyx and diamond engagement ring, the people in the room... _Shane…_ The lights suddenly became brighter and she fell forward, one hand on her heart and the other catching Eric’s shoulder. 

“Eric, I don’t know what to say,” Ashley whispered. The lights shined a little too bright, burning like a furnace. It was difficult to breathe and she felt faint.

Eric had taken her reaction as an excited ‘yes’ and slipped the ring on her finger. Standing to kiss her sweetly, the room erupted in roaring applause and catcalls from the crowd. When Eric pulled back to see Ashley’s face, she didn’t have the happy smile he expected but one of confusion. 

“We’re going to be happy together, Ashley, I promise,” Eric said, holding her chin before kissing her again gently. 

Ashley was dumbfounded. As Eric turned them to the crowd, holding up their hands, Ashley smiled bravely as she scanned the crowd outside for any sign of Shane or the Panitelli’s but they weren’t there. _Yoba, help us. I can’t marry Eric when my heart belongs to Shane...He’s my soulmate…_


	20. *Heavy Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane admits defeat and heads back to Pelican Town while Ashley wrestles with her own demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Domestic Violence

Shane was sitting with the Panitelli’s at their table when he heard Ashley’s name over the speakers in the ballroom minutes after they had made arrangements to leave together tomorrow. _Was this part of the program? She hadn’t mentioned anything about being onstage…_ He got up and headed to the entrance with the Panitelli’s right behind him. 

They watched the screen change to roses and Eric take a knee. Shane’s heart sunk into his stomach at the sight, feeling like he was in a nightmare as he listened to Eric propose to Ashley. He waited for her reply but could only see her lips moving. Eric slipped the ring on and stood to kiss her before Shane heard a ‘yes’. _This is all wrong...this isn’t how tonight was supposed to go..._ Shane thought as he raced outside with the glass rose in hand. Tears blinded his vision but he didn’t care. Ashley was gone to him forever now. She had accepted Eric’s proposal and that was the end of it. _But you didn’t hear a ‘yes’, dumbass… or did I?_

“Shane! Get in, son,” Tony called from the street. He was alone, having grabbed the car in a hurry to catch Shane.

Shane kept walking as the sobs came heavily and he choked out, “Ashley said she was leaving with me tonight, Tony! How could she marry him when she loves me?” His whole body suddenly felt tired and he could walk anymore. _Yoba, I need a drink..._

Tony stopped the car and leaned across to open the passenger door. “Come on,” Tony said firmly, causing Shane to drop his head and get in. “Tell me what happened at the fountain,” he said, turning in his seat to listen before heading back to the restaurant for his family.

Shane gave him a brief recount of what was said and how excited they both were at making it work again. He also mentioned how he had wanted to run away now but Ashley couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. It seemed noble at the time but now Shane felt he had been deceived.

“I dunno, Shane,” Tony said, shaking his head, “Something about this whole thing seems off. Ashley didn’t look like she was too happy about being up there.”

“But she accepted… Eric put the ring on her finger. It’s over, Tony,” Shane said, turning the box with the glass rose over in his hand. _His_ _life_ _really was one, big, fucking elaborate prank..._

Once back at the restaurant, Shane moved to the back with Vinnie, giving Marge the front seat. He was curled up in his seat, staring at nothing the whole way back to the house. That was it. Tomorrow, he’d be on the bus back home to the farm where he and Jas would live, trying to make the best of his miserable existence... _without the love of his life._

When they got back to the house, Shane immediately went to the guest room where he spent the next two hours. He carefully took off Antony’s suit and tie, laying them on the dresser before pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. Curling up on the bed, Shane cried until he had no tears left to fall, soaking the quilt and pillow underneath. 

Finally he packed up his suitcase and set it to the side, ready to leave first thing in the morning. There was no need to wait until noon if Ashley wasn’t coming with him. Shane left the pillow and glass rose on the table next to the bed and went to the basement where he knew Tony had his good liquor at his bar for poker nights. Sitting on a stool, Shane reached up and slid one of the glasses off the rack overhead. He reached for the bourbon and poured a couple of shots.

“Make that double for me,” Tony said as he joined Shane on the other barstool. There was no good to come of Shane drinking alone...

Shane got another glass and poured Tony a drink, setting it in front of the man. “To the end of dreams,” he toasted Tony but he didn’t return it. Shrugging, Shane tossed it back, sucking through his teeth as the bitter drink burned his throat and tongue in that old, familiar way. If there was ever a time he needed a drink, now was it.

Instead of tossing his back, Tony sipped his, looking at the broken man beside him. “I’m sorry, Shane. I don’t think anyone expected this,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. It was shocking that Ashley would choose Eric over Shane, especially after what Shane told him had happened. The whole thing still bothered him.

“I’ll be leaving in the morning after breakfast, but Jas and me will come visit in a couple of weeks. I don’t want to lose touch with you guys now,” Shane said, pouring another shot, swirling it around in the glass before putting it back and capping the bottle again. He may have been sober for a little over a month but he still knew his limits.

“We’ll miss having you around. You’ll always have a place here, Shane,” Tony said, hugging him tightly for a long moment before letting him go to finish his bourbon. They took their glasses upstairs and shut the lights off. 

\-----

Sitting in the back of the company car, Ashley hadn’t said anything on the way back but Eric was content in the silence, watching her admire the ring on her finger while he had his arm around her, kissing the side of her head often. Back at the building, Eric and Ashley got out of their car and unloaded the trunk quietly, carrying everything to the elevator. 

Ashley kicked off the stilettos as soon as the doors closed, complaining quietly, “My poor feet.” She wiggled her toes as Eric smiled.

“Thank you for enduring the pain of fashion for this one monumental evening,” Eric said as he pulled her to him, kissing her intimately. He was eager to get Ashley to bed and hear her finally confess her love for him. “I’m going to make it all worth it tonight, my lovely fiancée,” he added with a kiss on her engagement ring finger.

Ashley felt horrible. She cared deeply for Eric but how devastated would he be when she left? Mostly, she was worried about Shane after the proposal. Would he still wait for her tomorrow? _You should have left with him tonight._

She gave Eric a tired smile, “It’s really late and we’ve had a big day. Can’t we go straight to bed?” It was a meager attempt, she knew, but had to do something.

Eric brushed her cheek with his hand, “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ve been thinking about this moment all day.” 

Before Eric could kiss her again, the elevator doors opened and they lugged all their stuff down the hall. Ashley came in behind with her armload and every step she took toward the door, her legs felt heavier. 

“Leave everything here. I don’t want to waste any time,” Eric said, putting the bags and boxes just inside the door and quickly locking it. 

Ashley was hoping to get to the bathroom to delay him but Eric turned on her immediately, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her lips and squeezed her backside. “I love you; the way you smell, the way you look and feel,” Eric breathed into her mouth, “the way you taste.” He moved his kisses down her neck to her chest while his hands moved to the zipper of her dress.

Ashley was losing herself to Eric and his sexual prowess and had to act fast, “Eric… please… stop.”

But he didn’t stop. Once her dress was unzipped, Eric let it fall to the floor taking only a moment to stand back and look at her. “By the gods, Ashley, you are absolutely perfect,” he exclaimed, quickly removing his suit jacket and tie. 

Eric noticed that Ashley didn’t seem as enthusiastic as usual and encouraged her. “Help me undress, my love,” he commanded gently, taking her hand and placing it on his crotch. 

Ashley shuddered involuntarily at how hard Eric was and helped him out of his pants while he unbuttoned his shirt. Once they were off, Eric moved to Ashley, guiding her with kisses to the loft. Eric’s black eyes were hungry with lust but had a new softness to them that entranced Ashley. 

“Lay on the bed but leave the bra on,” Eric instructed as he dropped his underwear. 

When Ashley was on the bed, Eric crawled up to her and pulled her underwear off. He parted her knees and lowered his face to taste her, slowly dragging his tongue up and down her clit before sucking on it. It was so intense that Ashley tried to wriggle away but Eric held her legs, and brought her hips up. 

He worked his tongue up and down before lowering her back down and worked his long fingers inside her before she came so hard it soaked his face. When Eric came up, his chin was dripping and he had to wipe it before kissing her inner thigh and moving up to her breasts. 

Ashley was breathing so hard her chest rose while Eric slid one hand behind her, unfastening her bra as he kissed the top of her cleavage. Eric pulled the bra away to watch her perfect breasts bounce back into place. Grinding into her, he took one breast in his mouth, sucking on her nipple and massaged the other, lightly pinching the other nipple. 

Eric raised up to kiss her deeply, “I bought special condoms just for tonight.” He reached underneath his pillow and brought it out to roll it on. “I want you to start on top so I can watch you work,” he added, laying back on the king-sized bed and holding his arms out to her. 

Ashley sat up and mounted Eric, sliding in slowly and easily. The moan that escaped her lips made him smile. Eric grabbed her hips, directing the pace as Ashley rocked her hips back and forth, her hands on his chest for support. It wasn’t long before she felt the tingling heat hit her lower abdomen and grow to her hips. Eric increased the pace, making Ashley pant hard before her climax and nearly doubling over onto Eric’s chest. 

Eric continued moving her hips until Ashley couldn’t move any longer before switching up to take her from behind again. This was probably his favorite position, being able to hit that g-spot while reaching around front to work her clit. This had made her scream Sunday night...multiple times…

“Gods, you feel so good,” Eric murmured in her ear as he neared his own climax, “I love you, Ashley”

Ashley screamed ‘fuck!’ as they went together, pulsating so that the heat went to her face. Eric shuddered and moaned loudly as he filled the condom, afraid it would tear from the force and amount. 

Tonight was almost perfect, there was just one thing that needed to be done. Eric slid out and pulled Ashley to him so she could see her face. She smiled sweetly at him before giving him a small kiss. 

“Tell me you love me,” Eric pleaded with that same warmth in his eyes earlier. 

“Eric, I…,” Ashley started but the words were stuck in her throat. She didn’t want to lie but she realized, looking into his eyes just now, that she was falling for him again. _Shit._ In the morning, she would be leaving this man and she knew he would be more than devastated now.

He brushed the hair from her eyes, “Please.”

“I love you,” Ashley replied, her eyes tearing up at the betrayal. _I’m an awful person._

Eric kissed her so passionately that the salt from her tears tasted sweet. He then wrapped his arms around her tight and held her a long while before getting out of bed.

“Join me in the shower? We have all the hot water we’ll ever need,” Eric enticed with his charming smile. He knew he could bring her to come again in the shower a few more times before bed. She’d earned it.

Knowing what she would be doing tomorrow, Ashley decided to give him what he wanted tonight. It wasn’t a good idea but she did love him in a way and she justified tonight as a going away gift. She got up out of the bed and took his outstretched hand. Half an hour later, they had finished their shower and lay naked in bed at Eric’s insistence. Even though it was nearly two-thirty a.m. and Ashley was tired, she couldn’t bring herself to sleep. 

Ashley lay on Eric’s chest listening to his shallow breaths. He was so happy, sleeping soundly and snoring softly. Tears stung her eyes as she carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb Eric. She slowly swung her feet over the edge of the bed and heard him shift, reaching out for her. 

“Where are you going?” Eric asked sleepily, not even opening his eyes.

Ashley gently pulled his hand away and stroked it softly. “I’m just going to the bathroom. Go back to sleep,” she whispered as she stood up. Eric rolled back over on his back, bringing his arm up above his head and let out a slow breath. She waited for him to start snoring softly before going to his bathroom and turning on the light, closing the door behind her. 

She crept downstairs on her tippy toes, watching lightning flash across the city outside as she went into the guest bedroom and quietly put on a t-shirt and some sweatpants. If she was quiet enough, hopefully she could slip out now and not have to wait until morning. Ashley knelt down to get her duffle bag out from under the bed and heard a noise behind her. Turning around, she saw Eric standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing?” he asked directly. He noticed she was dressed but was still sleepy so he didn’t think much of it.

Clearly Eric didn’t realize what was going on yet so Ashley thought quickly, slipping her ring off and pretending to pick it up off the floor. “Here it is,” she said, standing up and putting the ring back on, “I got cold and came down for some clothes when I dropped my ring.”

Eric looked at her a long moment before walking over and hugging her around the waist, “We’ll get it properly sized tomorrow. Until then, come back to bed. I can’t sleep without you in my arms.” He nuzzled her neck, kissing it softly and breathing in her scent.

Ashley smiled and snuggled into his bare chest, “Of course. Let’s get back to bed.” What was she going to do now? If she couldn’t slip out now, it would be nearly impossible in the morning. 

A crack of lighting close to the building caused her to jump so Eric soothed her, smoothing her hair. “It’s alright. I’ve got you,” he murmured before kissing her gently, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The way Eric had been so gentle with her tonight made Ashley wonder if she were doing the right thing leaving him. _Is he doing this on purpose? Does he know I’m leaving?_

When they got back in bed upstairs, Eric laid on his side and pulled Ashley to him to spoon her. With his lips next to her ear he whispered, “Don’t ever try to leave me again,” and kissed her on the neck.

Ashley tensed up, suddenly terrified and fully awake as Eric held her tight. _Yoba, help me…_

——-

The alarm on Shane’s phone woke him from his light sleep. He’d laid there for hours thinking about Ashley before finally drifting off to sleep around three in the morning. The thunderstorm that raged all night didn’t help, either. 

Groaning from his bourbon headache, Shane sat up slowly and sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows on his knees for a moment before getting up. Shane got dressed and finished his morning stuff so he could pack his toiletries before lugging his suitcase to the living room. Marge was busy with breakfast but looked up long enough for a smile and a ‘good morning’. He returned for a hug a few minutes later and poured a cup of coffee. 

“You’ve got all your clothes and toiletries packed?” Marge asked in her motherly voice. She didn’t want Shane to leave, especially without Ashley, but knew he’d return soon. It still broke her heart. If he could have seen Ashley’s response the way she did, that she was terrified and never accepted, she’s sure he would go after Ashley before he left.

Shane nodded and leaned up against the counter to blow on his coffee. “All packed and ready to go. I told Tony that Jas and me will visit in a few weeks, after Spirit’s Eve,” he said quietly. He didn’t want to go back to the farm yet because... she... wouldn’t be there with him...

Marge chuckled and gave him her commanding look, “You two had better. We’ve been so happy to have you, even under the dire circumstances.” Her smile dropped a little, “I’m sorry about Ashley, dear. You must stay in touch with us.”

“I promise. If we don’t come visit, I’ll call often,” Shane said with a smile. His heart was completely broken so he was glad to have his second family for support. 

After breakfast, Shane said goodbye to Marge and rode to town with Tony and Vinnie. The rain beat down on the world around them as steady streams flowed down the streets into the drainage pipes. Shane listened to the windshield wipers swipe away sheets of rainwater as Vinnie chatted nervously about random things. He couldn’t focus on anything right now when leaving the city alone seemed so surreal.

“Thanks for everything. I appreciate all you guys did to help but I’ll, uh, keep in touch this time,” he said, giving each of them awkward hugs underneath their umbrellas. 

Tony hugged Shane a little longer, “I’ll call you if anything happens.”

Shane sniffled as the bus pulled up. “Thanks, Tony. Vinnie. Take care,” he said boarding the bus, his feet heavy each step he took. The feeling that he shouldn’t leave yet was so strong that he almost turned back around. _She’s gone...move on…_

Waving goodbye to the Panitelli’s, Shane watched the city go by. He watched out the window at the tiny tendrils of water fighting against the wind as the bus rolled on. Soon he was passing Eric’s apartment building and looked at it, knowing he was leaving Ashley and he started to panic. He shouldn’t be leaving… he could feel it in his bones but picturing Eric kneeling before Ashley on stage, he shook the feeling. Instead of hurting more right now, Shane closed his eyes and tried to catch up on some sleep before he got home. He’d need all he could get to help Marnie with Jas. 

——-

In the morning, rain beat against the glass windows, shrouding the city in a dull gray mist. Ashley awoke to see Eric watching her closely. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said quietly, leaning in for a kiss. 

Ashley barely had her eyes open when Eric started to get her wet, sliding on top of her to enjoy his morning wake up sex. Her body was tired from the constant attention Eric needed, having had sex two or three times a day for days was starting to make her sore but she clung to him as he moved, trying to hide the tears at the corner of her eyes. As Eric grunted, Ashley’s nails dug into his back until he finished. Eric buried his face into Ashley’s neck, planting kisses behind her ear and along her neck.

When Eric pulled back to look at Ashley, he didn’t see the flush pink face and happy smile she usually had. Instead her eyes were red and she looked weary. It was clear that something was wrong since she hadn’t gone with him.

“What’s wrong, Ash? This wasn’t the happy morning I pictured it would be,” Eric asked, trying to be gentle. He fought the anger that was welling up inside at things not being as perfect as he’d envisioned. 

Ashley looked at him with concern, “I’m tired, Eric. I’ve tried keeping up with you but it’s starting to hurt. I’m not used to being this physical.” _And you terrified me last night, catching me try to leave._..

Eric frowned as he stroked her hair, “You should have said something.” 

“I tried… last night. You were so excited I didn’t fight it,” Ashley said, sitting up in bed to draw her knees up and covering her shame with the thin, black sheets. 

“I can’t help it if I want you all the time, Ashley. I’ve been dreaming of being with you again for so long…” Eric said, trying to console her by sitting up with her and wrapping his arms around her. “I’m sorry Shane wasn’t able to take care of you like you need,” he added, nuzzling her neck.

Ashley shrugged out of his embrace, “Don’t. You can’t talk about Shane like that. In fact, you’re not allowed to talk about him anymore.” She slid out of bed and started toward the stairs.

Eric slid out of bed quickly and stood in front of Ashley. “Why? You said you loved me last night so you’re mine now, Ash. He’s gone. We can get on with our lives,” he said trying to keep the smile that wanted to curl on his lips from growing too large. He saw Shane leave after the proposal; he knew he’d left the city since Ashley had tried to sneak away last night. There was no way he would want her now...

“I can’t just stop loving him, Eric! Besides, I didn’t say yes last night. You put me on the spot in front of your company of strangers! I fucking _hate_ being put on display like that!” Ashley yelled, upset at how quickly things had spun out of control. 

Eric looked at her hard. He wasn’t sure what to say or what to do. He’d been so excited about everything that he never considered she might refuse. He thought last night was a fantastically romantic proposal. “You used to like surprises… ” he said to himself. _Keeping me on my toes…_

Taking a knee, Eric held Ashley’s left hand and looked up at her, “Well, Ashley Webber, _will_ you marry me?” 

Ashley looked down at Eric, stark naked in front of her and completely vulnerable. Her eyes moved to the tattoo on his chest and she thought about how lonesome he was, not having anyone in the whole world but her. _He’s changed a lot in eight years...you both have...but he threatened you last night, Ashley! What do you think he’s capable of doing if you try to leave today?_

“I need time to think about it, Eric. We’ve barely started dating,” Ashley said finally, not sure how long she could hold him off.

Eric frowned slightly and stood up, “Think about it today.” He held her chin up and kissed her lips before hugging her tight, “I know we can be happy together, you just have to trust me.”

Ashley nestled into Eric’s arms but didn’t share his sentiments. She shouldn’t feel responsible for Eric’s happiness but, in a way, she did. He said he was a loner and she knew how it felt to have no one. _It’s not your place to fix him, Ashley. Your soulmate waits for you at the bus stop… fight for him!_

Eric pulled back to get a quick peck, “I need to get dressed before we have a problem. I can’t stand here with you pressed against my naked body and not have certain expectations.” He smiled and lifted her hand to kiss her fingers.

Ashley returned his smile and nodded before quickly heading downstairs past the windows. She speedily went to the bathroom for her morning routine. When she came out and went into the living room for her phone, Eric was already next to their things with his back turned. At hearing her approach, he turned to face her, his face twisted in anger. Ashley looked at the folded piece of paper in his hand and paled. He found the poem Shane had written…

“Where did this come from, Ashley?” Eric asked through gritted teeth, knowing the answer already. _So, it_ was _Shane last night and they had already talked._

There was no use trying to get around anything, not if she was going to stay with Eric. “I talked to Shane last night at the restaurant,” Ashley replied plainly, “He apologized, wanting to make up but I’m with you now, Eric. He’s leaving for Pelican Town this afternoon.” She left a huge gap of truth between those statements, hoping he wouldn’t ask details.

Eric walked over to her and threw the paper at her, “Then why the fuck are you keeping this poem?” Narrowing his eyes at her, he saw the truth as clearly as the fear in her eyes, “Unless you were intending to leave with him today.”

Ashley opened her mouth to explain but Eric’s hand flew across the left side of her face, knocking her to her hands and knees on the floor. Her face throbbed where he hit and she felt the heat rise. Her eyes stung and the taste of metal filled her mouth. 

“You lying bitch. I have done nothing but treat you like a queen and _THIS_ is how you repay me. You _will_ marry me and be the good little wife, Ashley, and you will _NEVER_ leave me again. Do you understand?” Eric said as he stood over her, looking down at the woman he had fought so long to find...the woman who had betrayed him by being with Shane in the first place.

Ashley felt the heat from her face light a fire in her. There was no fucking way she was going to let Eric treat her this way. She was a survivor, not some helpless little girl anymore. The gods had given her so much shit for several years but she kept coming back, stronger and harder every time. 

Ashley pushed herself to her feet and wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. When she saw it, she looked at Eric with a hostility burning in her eyes made him take a step back. She took the ring off of her finger and threw it at his chest, listening to it bounce on the wooden floor. 

“No, Eric. I will not marry you and you will _NEVER_ touch me again. The man I loved all those years ago would never have raised his hand to me,” Ashley shot back. The adrenaline was keeping her going at this point and she hoped it held out until she could get to the bus. She turned heel and went to the guest room to grab her duffle bag from underneath the bed. 

Eric followed Ashley, intent on stopping her. He’d seriously underestimated her and wasn’t sure how to fix it. There was no way he could lose her now… not after being so close to having everything he ever wanted. “Ashley! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that. You can’t leave me! You promised!” he begged but she wasn’t having it. 

Tossing the bag over her shoulder, Ashley turned on Eric quickly, “You know who else I promised never to leave? Shane. But here I am, like a fucking idiot. I hate the city, Eric. There is nothing good here, not anymore. If you ever really loved me, you’ll let me go.”

Eric gulped and stared at her in disbelief, “You don’t believe that. We were always meant for each other, Ashley.” His black eyes were so dark that if there was any warmth or gentleness left, she couldn't see it.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at him before turning toward the living room. She still needed to get her phone before she left and the adrenaline was lessening. Taking two steps toward the door, Eric reached out for her, taking her by the arm.

“I won’t let you leave me again…” Eric started but Ashley jerked her arm away with a force he didn’t know she was capable of.

“I don’t love you anymore, Eric. When you hit me it left...all of it. We’re done,” Ashley said before making her way to the living room and grabbing her purse and dumping the contents of the clutch into it. 

Eric blocked her path to the door in a last ditch attempt to keep her from leaving. He knew the longer he kept Ashley here, the less likely she would make it to the bus stop in time to leave with Shane and she would have to come back to him. There was nowhere else for her to go. 

“Please, Ashley. What if we start over?” Eric asked, trying his charming smile to elicit something. 

“I’m not changing my mind,” Ashley said, feeling her eye start to swell and the rest of her head throb with pain, “Get the fuck out of the way, Eric.”

“No,” Eric said plainly. If she wanted to leave, she would have to make him move. “You need ice on your face or it’ll bruise badly. Come to the kitchen with me and we’ll…”

“THERE IS NO WE, ERIC!” Ashley screamed hysterically. “You don’t fucking get it! Shane told me you saw him Sunday when he came looking for me. Instead of giving me a choice, you threw him out and blocked his number. I’m pretty sure you’ve been deleting my messages, too.” Ashley’s whole face was red from rage but the left side burned like fire. 

Eric came forward to grab her arms and held her tight. “Because I knew you’d leave!” he yelled in reply, staring into her eyes for any sign of pity for him. He knew he was losing but grasped at anything.

When nothing but despise stared back at him, Eric knew he’d gone over the line and let go. “I can’t just let you leave me again, Ashley. I have nobody else in the whole world… only you… and it took me… so long to find you…” 

“You slapped me across the face, Eric. Whatever you think love is, THAT isn’t it. You need a therapist, Eric, not a girlfriend,” Ashley said through gritted teeth as she pushed him aside and pulled the door open, making her way to the elevator without replying or turning around.

Eric bolted after her, thinking that if he could just get her to kiss him one more time, she might change her mind. “I said I was sorry! Please don’t go!” he said forcefully, swinging her back around to face him.

As Ashley came around she brought her hand up across his face with a loud smack. It connected with such force that Eric had to grab onto the wall to steady himself or fall to a knee. He looked up at her with a pitiful frown and eyes so wide, you could see the whites all around his black iris. 

“Fuck off,” Ashley said firmly before turning back to the elevator, listening to Eric fall to the floor and curse to himself.

Even after stepping into the lift, she stared at the floor until the doors shut. Ashley felt like crying but she pushed it down, using it to fuel her escape. The receptionist barely looked up to take notice of her before turning back to his YouTube video.

Once outside, Ashley breathed in the air of freedom, letting the rain wash away the lies of the past four days before hailing a taxi. She climbed in, telling the driver to take her to Panitelli’s restaurant and noticed she only had eight minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave. Panitelli’s was ten minutes away. The driver took notice of her swollen face, looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t. Instead, he took off toward her destination.

Ashley tried calling Shane’s cell to let him know she was coming, but he didn’t answer. The tears of rejection stung but not as bad as the pain from her face. Her hand went up gingerly to touch it but the cheek was too tender and she recoiled with a hiss. 

Ten minutes later, the cab pulled up in front of Panitelli’s. Ashley paid the driver and looked across the street. The bus was nowhere to be seen and neither was Shane. She let the rest of the tears slip down her face, burning on her left cheek as she slumped down on the wet bench in front of the restaurant. People passing by steered clear of her upon seeing her red face or quickening their pace.

“He left this morning after breakfast,” Vinnie said, coming around the bench to stand next to her with an umbrella in hand to cover her. He had been wiping tables when he saw Ashley get out of the cab but hadn’t seen her face, “Shane didn’t want to wait after last night.”

Ashley sniffled and lifted her head, “We should have left together last night like he wanted but I thought Eric deserved to finish his important dinner. I didn’t realize he would be proposing.” She heaved a heavy sigh of regret.

Vinnie came over to help Ashley up and take her inside out of the rain but stopped when he saw her face. Ashley’s eye was blood-shot, and the whole side of her cheek and lip were red and swollen. 

“It’s okay, Vinnie. I’ve had a rough morning but I’ll be fine,” Ashley said, barely able to see out of her left eye now. “You don’t think I could get an ice pack or would it even help at this point?”

Without another word, Vinnie grabbed Ashley’s duffle bag and helped her inside. Taking her to the back room he called for Tony. “Why didn’t you call? We woulda come to getcha, Ashley?” Vinnie asked, handing her an ice pack from the mini fridge in the corner.

“It’s a long story but I tried Shane’s phone when I got in the cab. I was hoping he’d answer and wait on me but I guess he’s given up on us after last night,” Ashley explained, putting the cool pack on her face. It stung like a motherfucker but the ice soothed the ache in her face.

Tony stepped into the back room with a frown on his face that quickly turned to concern at Ashley’s injury. “That son of a bitch. Eric did this to ya?” he asked, coming over to have a closer look, “He didn’t hit you hard enough to bust a vessel, thank Yoba.”

Tony sat down at the table and sighed heavily, “Tell us what happened.” He felt like he was asking that question a lot lately…

Ashley explained about the meeting with Shane and how they were supposed to leave together last night. She also mentioned that she never accepted Eric’s proposal, that he knew Shane was there at the restaurant last night when he found the poem this morning, prompting him to strike her. 

“The man I’ve been staying with is not the same guy I went to high school with. I should never have trusted him…” Ashley finished with shuddered breath, “And now I’ve lost Shane… and for what?” She threw her hand up and let it fall to her lap with a slap. 

Tony wiped his face, knowing that Shane wouldn’t have left had he known Ashley accepted Eric’s proposal. “Have you called him? He took the nine o’clock bus home this morning so he’d be back by now,” he asked quietly.

Ashley shook her head, “I tried his cell when I got in the cab but he didn’t answer. He’s done with me and I don't blame him.”

She laid the ice pack on the table and stood up. “Thank you all for everything. I know you guys tried to help us get back together and I’m sorry it was for nothing but I should go,” Ashley said, giving Tony a hug before turning to Vinnie. 

While she hugged Vinnie, Tony stood up and put his hand on her shoulder, “You don’t need to go anywhere, Ashley. You’re as good as family so we’ll help you out. You need to file a police report first. Let me call Shane and then we’ll go.”

Ashley couldn’t take any more rejection or drama but if Tony felt there was still even a sliver of hope for her and Shane, she would take it. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get Shane back,” she said, not able to hide the desperation in her voice, “but I don’t think he’ll want me now.”


	21. Home is Where the Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane finds that leaving the city is much more difficult than he expected. After leaving Eric, Ashley finds help in an unexpected way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mild Self-harm

Shane sat on the bus just outside of town while they waited on a replacement bus. They were barely ten miles outside of the city before the tire busted and they had been waiting an hour. He decided to call Marnie to update her since there wasn’t much else to do with the rain still pouring.

“Yeah, it’s raining pretty hard here but we’ve already been waiting an hour. I expect the other bus to be here soon,” Shane told her, looking out the window at the mud puddles gathering in the grassy field beside them. “How is Jas doing this morning?” he asked with a yawn.

Marnie sighed, “Well, she actually slept last night and ate a little bit of breakfast. All in all, she’s really excited to have you back home today.” She was completely exhausted herself, but with Shane coming home today, there was no use in getting into specifics.

“Good,” Shane replied when he noticed the driver coming back on board. “Look, I gotta go, Marnie. The driver is calling for everyone’s attention. See you guys soon,” he said hanging up.

“The replacement bus is not coming due to a wreck downtown causing more delays. The company will pay for anyone’s taxi fare back to the city where you will be dropped off for the next available bus,” the driver said, holding up a clipboard, “Please put your name, address and phone number on this form.” The driver handed it to the first person to pass around.

Shane couldn’t seem to get out of the city no matter how hard he tried. He scoffed and took the clipboard when it came his way, signing his name and cell before passing it to the next passenger. There were only eight people on board so Shane was sure he’d be able to get back quickly. 

Another hour passed and half the bus was gone before it was Shane’s turn. He grabbed his bag and headed off the bus, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket.  _ I’ll check it after I get in the cab, _ he thought, wanting to get back so he could jump on the noon bus.

He told the driver to take him to Panitelli’s in hopes that the busses in that part of town weren’t affected by the accident. Once underway, Shane looked at the time and realized he’d be too late for the noon bus anyway. 

“Do you know when the next bus will run? I think I’ll probably miss the noon one,” Shane asked the cab driver.

“I dunno, one, probably,” he replied curtly, clearly not happy at having to ferry people back to the city.

Shane sat back and shoved his hands in his pockets, remembering the missed call. When he pressed the home key, he noticed the missed call was from Ashley and his stomach jumped.  _ Was she calling because she was getting on the noon bus? _ She hadn’t left a message so he pulled up her number to return the call but an incoming call from Tony Panitelli came up first.

“Tony! I just missed a call from Ashley. Please tell me you know something…” the words rushed out of his mouth. 

“She’s here at the restaurant, Shane, don’t worry. We have to take care of a few things but I’ll let her tell you,” Tony said, handing the phone to Ashley. 

Shane heard a rustling before Ashley’s tired voice came over the line, “Shane, I’m so sorry about last night. I wish we would have left when you wanted to. You should know, I did NOT accept his proposal but when I looked for you after dinner, you were gone...” He heard her sniffle and breathe raggedly as if in physical pain.

“Are you okay?” Shane asked, the words held all of his concern, hanging in the air above their heads.

“I’m okay now. Eric found your poem this morning and got angry enough to hit me. I left and tried to make it in time for the noon bus, to come home with you, but missed it. That’s when Vinnie found me outside the restaurant,” Ashley explained quietly. 

Shane felt guilty for leaving her but he couldn’t have known. Making Ashley leave last night against her will would not have worked anyway, she’s too stubborn. 

“How…” Shane started, his voice caught in his throat, “how bad is it?”

“I’ll probably have a black eye and I’ve got a busted lip. He didn’t bust a vein or knock any teeth loose but it hurt,” Ashley answered, “Tony’s gonna take me to the police station to file a report.”

Shane felt a rush of anger, hatred, helplessness and relief all at once. But one question remained… “What are you gonna do after that?” he asked. 

Ashley let out a slow, ragged breath before answering, “Vinnie offered to drive me back to Pelican Town if I want but I don’t think you…” she choked back a sob before she could finish. 

Shane couldn’t believe that after all this mess, they would be given another chance. Could they be so lucky? “Ashley… I don’t want to take care of the farm without you,” he said gently, his leg bouncing nervously as the cab made its way through town. He’d be at the restaurant in five minutes. 

Ashley sniffled and sobbed happily, “So, you’ll take me back?” Her heart leapt in her chest.

“I love you more than anything,” Shane replied as the cab pulled up to the curb. He grabbed his suitcase and tipped the driver. “There’s nothing in the universe to stop us from being together now,” he said, stepping inside and heading to the back.

“As soon as we finish at the police department, I’ll have Vinnie drive me back to Pelican Town then,” Ashley sniffled again, smiling despite how badly it hurt her face to move those muscles.

Shane stepped through the doors and let his phone drop to his side, “We can go home together, Ashley.” He saw her left eye was closed shut as she held the ice pack to her cheek. 

Ashley jumped up out of her chair and rushed over to Shane, throwing her arms around his neck. “How are you here?” she sobbed as he held her tightly. 

Her face started throbbing again without the ice pack but she didn’t care. She and Shane were together again and that was all that mattered now.

He pulled back to look at her closely without the ice pack, his face hard and dark as he studied Eric’s work.  _ I’ll kill him... _ Raising her chin, Shane kissed the right side of her lips and hugged her again. “I’m so sorry I left you with him. If only I’d insisted you come with me instead…” he said.

“I still wouldn’t have listened,” Ashley said, pulling back, “because I’m too damn stubborn and I thought I was being a good person. I had no idea he was going to propose and I swear I didn’t accept. After dinner, I couldn’t find you or the Panitelli’s so I went back with him to get my things. I tried to leave around three this morning but he caught me and this morning was the last straw.” 

Tony came back in from the alley where Vinnie was pulling the car around and stopped at seeing Shane. “I thought you would be back home by now,” he said, smiling as he came up to hug Shane.

“I am home, Tony. Wherever Ashley is, I’m home,” Shane answered before looking back at his wounded angel. Despite the swelling in her face, she was still beautiful to him. Ashley smiled at him despite the pain he knew she felt at doing so. 

“Well, let’s not delay. I just called ahead to the police department so they’re expecting us,” Tony said, holding the door open and taking his phone from Ashley as they passed.

At the police station, Ashley recognized the red-headed woman that came into the room to take her statement as Gillian from the restaurant last night. The nameplate on her desk read Detective G. Woods. She looked at Ashley’s face and at Shane, who was holding her protectively.

“Hello, Miss Ashley. You’ve had quite a night and quite a morning, it would seem,” Officer Woods said as she took a seat behind her desk. She picked up a pen and started writing some things on a piece of paper before looking up again. “First, let’s take a picture for your file and we’ll get your basic information.”

Ashley nodded and turned her face as instructed while Detective Woods took her picture with a Polaroid camera. She gave the detective her last name, phone number and address before Shane gave his information. 

“What relation are you to Miss Webber?” Detective Gillian asked.

Shane looked at Ashley and replied, “Boyfriend.”

The detective looked at them a long moment before recording his answer. “How long have you two been together?” 

“It’s complicated but we’ll say almost two months,” Shane replied after counting in his head.

The detective rested her elbows on the desk, “I’m confused. If you two are a couple, then where does Eric Winters fit in?”

Ashley explained everything to the detective starting with Saturday to the current day. “Long story short, Shane is who I want to be with and Eric is not the same person I dated years ago,” she summarized.

The detective leaned back in her chair and scratched her cheek. “So, let me get this straight, Ashley. You and Eric Winters dated in high school eight years ago and he showed up out of the blue after getting a phone call leading to your whereabouts. You two, who were planning to wed, had an argument that was bad enough that Ashley ran away and ended up in the arms of her ex. Shane has been trying to get messages through but Eric blocked and/or deleted them. Mr. Winters also withheld information from you that Shane was in the city. You didn’t accept his proposal and were struck out of jealousy when he found out you were planning to leave him for Shane,” Gillian read back as the couple nodded slowly to confirm.

“One last question, was the sex you had with Eric Winters consensual?” the detective asked her straight on while Shane removed his arm, closed his eyes and looked away, not wanting to hear Ashley’s answer though he knew it already. 

“Yes,” Ashley replied simply, adding as an afterthought, “he has very persuasive ways of making you feel wanted.” She stared at her hands, clasped together in her lap. She could still feel Eric all over her and wanted to scrub him off. 

Detective Woods scribbled a few other things down and excused herself a moment, leaving Ashley and Shane in uncomfortable silence. 

“Did you love him, Ash?” Shane finally asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Ashley sighed raggedly, “Before he hit me, I had started falling for him again. He’s alone with no one else in the whole world and I know how lonely that is. When I thought you and I were over for good, I latched on to that one thing, thinking that we could keep each other from being totally alone. It wasn’t until I found out you were in the city did I realize it wasn’t love but it took a literal slap to the face for me to fully wake up.”

Shane dropped his head in his hands, “How did things get so fucked up so fast? Less than a week ago, our world was so small until we came back to the city and Monique poked her fucking nose in our business.”

Ashley shook her head, “I dunno, Shane. If we’ve learned anything from this situation it should be that no matter what life throws at us, you and I keep finding each other. No matter who gets between us, as long as we hold tight to each other, we can defeat the world but I don’t intend to let anything or anyone between us ever again.”

Shane brought his head up to look at Ashley, amazed at the strength she still showed after everything they’d been through. “Ashley, when we get back home, where does that leave us?” ” he asked gently, “I don’t want to go back to the beginning unless that’s what you want.”

Ashley looked into Shane’s beautiful emerald eyes, “I don’t want to start over either. I’d like for us to continue our weekend sleepovers but I need time before we can be intimate again. It has nothing to do with you but that rather, Eric was too much… my body…”

“I understand,” Shane interrupted, not wanting to go into details, “I’ll never push you into anything, I hope you know that. There’s more ways to show how much I love you than sex. Just being with you, taking care of the farm together, starting new traditions, picnics and bicycle rides… those are a few of the things I intend to do when we get back. And I want to do things proper, the right way...like proposing to you in a more romantic setting than your shower.”

Ashley rested her head on Shane’s shoulder, “Thank you for being the best boyfriend I could have ever hoped for.”

Shane smiled and kissed her head, “Thank you for being strong enough for both of us, Ashley. I love you.” 

Detective Woods came back in and looked at the two before standing in front of her desk with a file. “There is an open investigation on Eric Winters. Miss Webber, you are not the only girl to have filed a report for abusive behaviour but you are the key. All of the girls filing reports have met certain criteria: short black hair and brown eyes, about your height. You are the first to break this streak and I want to know why,” she sat the file down on her desk, folding her arms across her chest to look at Ashley.

Shane brought up his phone and showed the detective a snapshot of Ashley’s picture from Vinnie’s yearbook. “If this is what the other girls look like, it’s because Ashley was the first, Detective,” he said as Ashley took his other hand in hers.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” the detective said as she compared the picture on Shane’s cell to the ones in her file, “What do you mean by the ‘first’?” Shane looked to Ashley to explain, squeezing her hand for support. 

“When we dated in high school, I was the first girlfriend Eric had ever had. His family moved every year so he never had any friends, either. While we dated, we lost our virginity to each other and he begged his family to let him stay for our senior year but they moved anyway. He said he loved me then and has never stopped…,” Ashley explained, “even after his family moved across the country. Eric finally moved back here three years ago and said he looked for me but I was in and out of hospitals or rehab. The reason I don’t fit the rest of his girls is because I guess he was trying to replace the Ashley from his past…”

Detective Woods nodded her head and rubbed her temple, “That explains why Mr. Winters proposed so quickly.” She twirled around to stand behind her desk again, “I’ll be in touch soon. Any information we can gather against Eric Winters will be useful in keeping more girls safe. Hopefully we can put him away for a long time with your help.”

Shane sat up. Something was still bothering him, “What’s to keep Eric from pursuing Ashley after we go back home? He knows the town we live in and it’s so small he’ll be able to find our house easily.”

“Unfortunately, until I finish building the case against Mr. Winters to present before the judge, there’s nothing we can do to guarantee your safety,” Detective Woods said, handing Shane her business card, “Take my number, though, in case anything happens. We’ll dispatch an officer immediately upon your request.”

“Thank you, Detective. We’ll keep in touch,” Shane said. He stood, bringing Ashley with him and they shook the detective’s hand. 

She walked them out where Vinnie and Tony sat at the front of the precinct, “I'll call when I hear something from the judge,” Detective Woods told them before turning around to leave.

The four of them made their way back to the restaurant to grab their luggage and for Ashley and Shane to catch the next bus. After saying their goodbyes again, Ashley and Shane boarded together, taking their usual seat near the back of the bus. 

Soon after they were on their way, Ashley fell asleep on Shane’s shoulder, curled up against him. He listened to Ashley’s shallow breathing and enjoyed her warmth next to him, silently thanking Yoba that she was finally safe in his arms again. She slept the whole way back to Pelican Town while Shane texted Marnie back and forth to tell her what was going on, catching at least an hour long nap himself.

At the bus stop, they were met by Jas and Marnie. As soon as the bus pulled away, Marnie let Jas go and the girl barrelled into them, stretching her arms as far as she could to hug them both and crying happily. 

Shane put his suitcase down to pick her up, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheeks, “We missed you, too, Jazzy Bear!” After she held her uncle tight, hiccuping and giggling through sobs and tears, she looked up at Ashley.

“Come here, sweet girl!” Ashley pulled the child from Shane’s arms and held her tightly, rocking her gently as Jas sobbed into her shoulder.

“I...hic...missed you...hic...Aunt Ashley!” Jas cried happily through the hiccups. 

Ashley’s heart melted at the love this child held for her, “I’m glad to finally be home with my family.” She smiled at Shane, glad that the swelling in her face had gone down enough for her to see out of her eye now. 

Marnie came up and hugged them both, “It’s good to have you both back home. Jas has been asking all day when the bus was going to get here.” She eyed Ashley’s face sadly, taking note of the brave but genuine smile she wore despite the pain she must be feeling.

Jas smiled impossibly big while she walked between Shane and Ashley hand-in-hand-in-hand back to the farmhouse, making Marnie chuckle. As soon as the front door opened, Buttons ran out meowing loudly and making her passes between all their legs to show her appreciation for the company. Once inside, Ashley knelt down to pick up her pitiful baby cat and she immediately started purring loudly.

“Oh, little Buttons! You missed us, too, didn’t you,” she said, cuddling the kitten a moment before carrying the fur baby with her to the bedroom, putting her bag down just inside the door without setting foot inside. 

She couldn’t look at their bed right now, not without feeling ashamed to have betrayed Shane but two strong arms came around from behind and held her, rocking her gently. Shane’s cologne surrounded her and she gave herself over to the warmth of his body.

“Don’t worry, Ashley. There are no bad memories in here, okay? Only the good memories,” Shane murmured in her ear. “Only the good memories…” he repeated until her breathing matched his. 

Buttons had had enough of being squished between them so she worked her way out of Ashley’s arms, jumped down and ran off to play with Jas. 

“Thank you, Shane,” Ashley said as she breathed in deeply and breathed out slowly. Shane’s lips were pressed into her neck and she closed her eyes, remembering the feel of his skin against hers. His gorgeous green eyes stared back at her and, when Ashley opened her eyes again, Shane turned her to face him, meeting her with those same loving eyes.  _ Shane is the only man I love and he is the only man that loves me.  _

“You are home, you are safe and you are absolutely loved,” Shane said quietly, giving her more of him to process as he rubbed her arms.

Ashley felt the magnetic pull toward Shane and hugged him tightly, her arms going around his waist and resting the right side of her face in his chest. “We’re going to be okay,” she mumbled into Shane. 

She felt Shane choke back a sob as he held her tightly, planting a kiss on her head. He let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding. “Yes, Ashley, we will be okay,” he repeated in her hair, holding her as long he could.

Jas came running up to Marnie, who had been watching the couple with concern, and asked, “Can I have a sleepover with Aunt Ashley and Uncle Shane tonight?”

Marnie watched the two of them struggle and felt so sorry for the couple. They had such a promising start to be ruined by five days of stupidity...on both their accounts by her calculations. “Not tonight, Jas, honey. Let’s go fix some dinner and let your Aunt and Uncle get settled in, okay?” Jas started to protest but the stern look on Marnie’s face made her close her mouth and she nodded. 

Marnie then looked to Shane and Ashley, “I’ll text when food’s done and ya’ll come on down.” Without waiting on an answer, she took Jas by the hand and walked out the door.

“I’m taking a shower. I need to get  _ him _ off of me…” Ashley said quietly, giving Shane a weak smile and squeezed his hand before heading into their bedroom.

Shane watched Ashley pause a moment before grabbing her duffle bag and heading into the bathroom. Deciding to unpack his suitcase, he heard the shower start and the curtain close. Despite her efforts to hide the fact that she was breaking apart and trying to use the water to drown her sobbing, he heard everything. If they were going to heal, it had to be together. With a deep sigh to settle his own ragged breath, Shane quietly stepped into the bedroom and up to the bathroom door. 

“Ashley,” Shane said before tapping on the door. He waited a moment before easing it open and stepping in. 

She was still in the shower but there wasn’t any movement. When Shane peeked his head in to see, Ashley’s face was turned away from him, her fist at her mouth and blood running down her hand. At the sight of her injury, his adrenaline kicked in and he shut off the water, throwing a towel around her.

“You’re bleeding,” Shane said, leading her to the sink. 

She didn’t make a noise as she stumbled to the sink. He ran cold water over it and, seeing it wasn’t deep, looked in her eyes searching for any sign that she was still lucid. Her eyes were dull and dim like she had checked out and he started to panic.

“Ash, baby, talk to me, please,” Shane said, holding her head in his hands. “Don’t you dare leave me again, not when I need you. We’re here for each other, remember? I support you; You support me,” he continued but she wasn’t responding so he did the only thing he could think of.

Shane pulled Ashley’s face to his and pressed his lips against hers, dropping an arm to her waist to hold her close.  _ Please come back to me, Ashley. I can’t do this without you… _

At first Ashley was afraid to wake back up, terrified to see Eric on the other side of the veil she had created to shield her from the pain of the real world. Wherever she was, it felt like she was underwater and everything was muffled. But, then she faintly heard the words: ‘I need you’ and ‘I support you; you support me’. Ashley knew those words... She felt warm lips against hers and a strong arm wrapped around her waist.  _ Shane _ ...The scent of his cologne filled her nostrils and she came back up, gasping for air.

“Shane,” Ashley muttered as if seeing his face for the first time in days again. “I’m sorry,” she cried as he hugged her tightly, a look of relief on his face. A stinging pain in her left hand made her wince. She looked down to see bite marks in and watched as it started to bleed again, realizing she had checked out again.  _ I haven’t done that in almost a year... _

Shane buried his head in her neck, “I thought I was losing you again. We hold each other tight; fight the world together, remember?” He leaned back to look at her, wanting her to know he was serious about her lack of communication.

Ashley wanted to shrink away but Shane held her tightly and she wanted to be held more than she wanted to get away. “I betrayed you, Shane… No matter how much I scrub, he just won’t go away.” she stopped as her breath caught, holding back more tears.

“You didn’t betray me, Ashley. You were hurt and alone and he took advantage of that. You need to realize, we have to heal together,” Shane said soothingly as he stroked her head. 

Ashley sighed and relaxed as she stared into Shane’s impossibly green eyes. “I support you; you support me. Together...always and forever,” she said quietly before resting her head on his chest.

Shane kissed her head and hugged her tight, focusing on all the good memories they’d shared for strength. “Together… always and forever,” he repeated. 

Ashley’s hand started to hurt again so Shane helped her clean it up and bandage it. She watched him add triple-antibiotic before rolling gauze around her hand. She sighed deeply, catching Shane’s attention as he finished putting medical tape on the gauze to hold it in place. 

“What’s up, Ash?” he asked, eyes staring into hers with more hope and less pain now. 

“Is this going to be the norm now? Me crying and breaking down, you having to fix me?” Ashley asked as she blew air out her mouth, making her lips pouty.

“We only just got back, Ash, give it some time but, know this, I will fix whatever you need me to fix… any time,” Shane told her seriously.  _ She never gave up on me, even when I nearly drank myself to death. _

They stood there in the bathroom, holding one another until Shane’s phone dinged. Marnie was letting them know that dinner would be done soon. 

“I guess I should get dressed,” Ashley said sheepishly, looking down at the towel Shane had wrapped around her.  _ I don’t deserve him... _

Shane smiled and kissed her forehead, “I’d like to brush your hair afterwards, if that’s okay.” He petted her head and rubbed her arms, noticing the bruises where Eric had grabbed her arms. 

Ashley smiled up at Shane. “I’d like that,” she said before hugging him one more time. 

Wanting to give her privacy without making her feel bad, Shane decided to step into the bathroom while Ashley got dressed. When he came back out with her hairbrush, she had just buttoned up her jeans and was reaching for her shirt. Ashley had lost a weight, too, he noticed. She smiled at Shane upon seeing the brush in his hand, slipped her shirt over her head, and fluffed her damp hair out behind her.

Shane walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, patting the spot in front of him. “Come here, beautiful,” he said gently, smiling.

Ashley grabbed a quick peck before sitting in front of Shane. He was gentle as he brushed her hair and every time Shane’s fingers brushed her neck, Ashley got goosebumps. She felt herself relaxing so much that her eyes closed until Shane stopped and slipped his hand in hers. He laced their fingers, bringing it up to kiss. 

Ashley walked with Shane to the bedroom door before stopping. Shane stopped with her, looking back at her with a supportive gaze when she placed her hands on his chest, feeling the muscles underneath his shirt.  _ Shane’s body...Shane’s heartbeat. _ He watched quietly as she studied his face before pressing her lips against his.  _ Shane’s lips _ . She was cataloging him to build up his image in her mind so there wasn’t room for anyone else.  _ Shane’s kiss...Shane’s love...Shane’s warmth. _

Shane couldn’t help but wrap her up in his arms as she kissed him tenderly. It reminded him of their first kiss and he didn’t want it to stop. He wished things would go back to normal but Tony had warned him things would be different. So far, it had been back and forth but it was only the first day.

_ Shane’s strong arms...Shane’s cologne... _ Ashley continued building until she felt herself melting into him.  _ Shane’s skin against mine.  _ She felt the room begin to spin and gave herself over to it. Kissing Shane had always been like this and he was the only one that could make her feel this way.

As the room spun around them, Ashley looked into his eyes,  _ Shane’s eyes… _ “I love you, Shane Rogers. I will always love you because you are the only man for me. You are mine and I am yours, now and forever,” she said, closing her eyes to soak in Shane’s essence that surrounded her.

Shane’s happy smile melted her heart further. “I love you, too, Ashley Webber. You need to hear that from me, often I think. I’ll never love anyone else as long as I live and breathe,” Shane said before kissing her lips again and resting his forehead on hers. He buried his face in her neck.  _ Yoba, please help me make Ashley whole again. _

Shane looked down at her with a smile that warmed her to her core and asked, “Ready?”

“Yes, my love,” Ashley replied with an equally warm smile. 

They got to Marnie’s just in time to wash up. Jas sat between the two and kicked her legs happily as they ate. The young girl had a lot to tell them since they had missed four days in Pelican Town. Shane and Ashley didn’t mind, though. It was good that Jas was so chatty because they were still getting used to being back home. 

“Marnie, thank you for taking such great care of Jas and the farm while we were away. If there’s any way I can repay you, all you need is tell me and I’ll do it,” Ashley told her as they were cleaning up dishes while Shane had taken Jas outside to play.

“You can start by promising me that you’ll never run off like that again,” Marnie said sternly, “You and Shane might be able to work things out easily but Jas is fragile, Ashley. I haven’t seen her regress so far since she’s been here and I have to tell ya, it was rough. Plus, people in town started talking. Lewis has been trying to keep things quiet but, let’s face it, that’s damn near impossible in a small town.” 

The look on Marnie’s face told Ashley this was just the surface of what had happened while they were away. She knew there was more to Jas’s story than she had originally thought but didn’t realize how badly her actions would affect Jas, too. 

“That’s a promise I intend to keep. I’m never leaving here again...not ever, unless my family comes with me,” Ashley promised, placing her hand in Marnie’s arm to show she was serious, “Since we’re clear that I’m not leaving again, what happened to Jas, Marnie? I know she was in foster care for two years because something happened between her parents but Shane hasn’t told me anything else,” Ashley asked, hoping to hear before she messed anything else up. 

Marnie’s gaze softened slightly, “I think that story is best told by her god-father. He’ll be ready to talk now, just ask.”

They continued to work quietly after that until Marnie offered her tea. They took it outside to sit and talk more. Ashley sipped hers as she watched Shane and Jas laughing. It made her smile seeing Shane so happy again. 

“So, tell me what happened with this Eric guy that messed things up so badly,” Marnie asked, dropping the ball on Ashley. 

She sat and shifted uncomfortably for a moment before she began.  _ Marnie is family now, you can tell her. _

“Well, Eric had this way of keeping me from thinking about anything else but him and his presence. You know, with him it was all words and glamour, nothing substantial. Nice apartment, nice clothes, fancy restaurants and he knew the right words at the right moment. I mean, you saw him. He’s really good-looking and suave in a movie super villain kinda way. But when he reminded me he had never wanted children, I knew it was wrong...that I was in the wrong place. Everything screamed at me to come back to the farm where I was happy but I didn’t think I had anything left so I stayed...with him... He clouded my mind, kept me in a lusty stopor...kept me from seeing the truth so he could keep me...a trophy girlfriend...eat, sleep, fuck, repeat. That’s not love...When he slapped me across the face and I lay on the floor, I finally woke up,” Ashley told Marnie as they sat outside on hay bales watching Jas play with Shane. 

She was crying again, like she’d done for the past five days. It seemed like she’d never stop crying but at least she and Shane were on the road to recovery.

“I wish I had never gotten on that bus. I should have just told Shane to fuck off after our fight until we calmed down enough to rationalize as adults and not as tantrum-driven children,” Ashley continued her recounting to Marnie. 

Marnie had been quietly listening to Ashley’s story. She felt bad for the two of them, letting one stranger shatter their young but beautifully budding relationship. “Well, Chickadee, if wishes were pennies I’d be a millionaire. You two are young and you’ve both made mistakes. The best thing you can do now is be there for each other while you heal...and you both will,” she encouraged with a smile.

Taking a sip of her tea, Marnie continued, “You are so strong, Ashley, and Shane has always been resilient. He’s always gone after what he wanted without thinking of the consequences. Hell, why do you think your courtship was so fast? Maybe this was the wake up you both needed.” She sipped her tea again and continued, “I mean, have you and Shane talked about children? That guy didn’t want any and it seemed to bother you. It’s definitely something you two need to talk about.”

Ashley knew she would have as many children with Shane as he wanted. When she pictured their future, there were always lots of happy children running around with Jas herding them and teaching them her farming skills. But that future was on hold. They hadn’t even talked about if or when they were going to reschedule the wedding and Shane still had her engagement jewelry. She wasn’t expecting that to come back around until much later. For now, they were going to take one day at a time. 

“We haven’t talked about it yet, but first we heal and then talk about marriage. I mean, technically, we’re not engaged anymore,” Ashley said as she picked at the pieces of straw sticking out of the bale she sat on.

“Give him time, Ashley. I’ve never seen two people that were so good a fit more than you two. You’ll be alright,” Marnie responded with an assuring smile, “Besides, Jas won’t let you leave again. She has been begging to stay the night with you since I started cooking dinner. I’ve already told her to give you guys a few days and we’ll see about Saturday.”

When Ashley finished her tea, Marnie took it from her to take it inside and told her to go be with Jas and Shane. Ashley made her way over to the tree where Jas jumped rope. Shane held out his arm, wrapping it around her shoulder so he could kiss her temple. 

“You let me know when you're ready for us to go home, okay?” Shane told her, noticing her red-rimmed eyes. 

Ashley sniffled, “We’re good right now. I think all of this is helpful. It’s like after a bad dream, the more good and familiar things we do, the more it goes away.” 

Shane nodded in reply, feeling the exact same way. This whole ordeal could be chalked up to being one big, fucked up nightmare. Every happy memory they had shared then and now made it seem farther and farther away. 

Ashley smiled to herself as she remembered the day she first came to dinner at the ranch. They had taken goofy pictures at this exact spot before Shane walked her home and they kissed for the first time. 

Shane caught her smiling, “What’s got you smiling there, beautiful?” He couldn’t help but stare at her now. She had cried so much lately that he had nearly forgotten what her genuinely happy smile looked like. 

“I was remembering the first time you invited me to dinner. We took those goofy pictures right here and, later when you walked me home, we shared our first kiss,” Ashley recalled. Touching her lips lightly with her fingers. 

Shane turned her to face him, “Was it like this?” He leaned over and kissed her tenderly, making her sigh into him. 

“Exactly like that,” Ashley chuckled happily as her smile grew, pulling at the sore muscles but she didn’t care. She deserved every bit of the pain for what she did.

She watched Shane’s eyes sparkle and the corners of his eyes crinkle with his smile. There was no place in the world she would rather be than here with her family. Her beautiful Shane, his love and goodness; she had nearly given it all away but never again. Ashley kissed him sweetly before hugging him around the waist, resting her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat. 

“We’re going to be okay, Ash. Trust me,” Shane whispered into her hair, hugging her tightly. He believed those words but he wasn’t sure when he’d be ready to be intimate again.  _ One day at a time, Shane...one day at a time… _

Shane and Ashley spent the rest of the day with Jas, who ended up talking them into riding bicycles again. Sticking only to the path in front of the ranch where it was flat and gravelled, Ashley watched Shane’s and Jas ride a while until Marnie called her in for bath time. Shane helped Ashley put the bicycles away while she and Jas chatted about their favorite kid’s movies. Apparently, there were a lot of movies Ashley grew up watching that Jas had never seen before, giving them a whole arsenal of movies to fill their Friday movie nights.

“Alright, miss Jas, let’s get your pajamas,” Ashley said as she led the sweet girl to her bedroom, grinning happily at Shane and Marnie as they passed. 

Shane watched his two girls walk to Jas’s room and caught Marnie’s side-eye and sly smile. “What?” he simply asked.

Marnie chuckled and shook her head, “You and Ashley.”

He was confused at what Marnie found so amusing about them, “What about us? You’re being weird, auntie dearest.”

“You two are the weird ones, honey. After everything that’s happened, the way you two just naturally slip right back into being so damn good together is astounding. Psychologists around the world should be studying your relationship,” she replied with a huge grin.

Shane frowned slightly, “I dunno about that, Aunt Marnie. Sure, we can stand to do the basic physical things and we’re able to look at each other without crying but...I don’t know about, well...you know…” He looked at Marnie helplessly, hoping she would catch his meaning.

She smiled sadly, “You mean you don’t know if you can have sex with the woman you love without worrying she won’t enjoy it after being with someone she didn’t love?” The way Shane’s face flushed red told her she’d hit the nail on the head. 

“Yes,” Shane said simply. Marnie had simplified what he had twisted into a complicated problem. The words ‘someone she didn’t love’ resonated in his brain. Ashley had told him she was falling for him. It wasn’t the same as being in love with him but it still hurt.

“Just take it one day at a time. Ashley will let you know when she’s ready and you’ll let her know when you are. What’s most important is that you two BE there for each other and it looks like ya’ll have that covered,” Marnie said, patting his arm before heading to help Jas wash.

After bathtime and Jas’s bedtime stories...plural - she had requested two, one from Shane and one from Ashley, since they had been gone for so long - Shane and Ashley headed back to the farmhouse. Shane fished his key out of his pocket and unlocked the door for Ashley. Once inside, he locked the door and pulled the curtains closed. He still didn’t trust Eric. Pelican Town was so small, he’d easily find Ashley if he chose to look for her.  _ If that punk-ass fucker does come out here, I’ll kill him... I’ll bury Ashley’s pickaxe in his fucking skull and dump the body in the mines. _


	22. Back to Basics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane and Ashley try to find their new normal but they can’t seem to get away from Eric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions of domestic violence.

The next morning Shane awoke with a feeling of dread... that Ashley wasn’t there. He opened his eyes and sat up quickly to find her laying next to him, sleeping peacefully. Careful not to wake her, Shane turned on his side and laid back down to watch her sleep. Ashley was laying on her side, facing him, with the injured side of her face up and her injured hand on the pillow. She had her knees pulled up nearly to her chest. 

He missed this...so much. Especially when he thought he’d never wake up next to her again. They were only apart for five days but it felt like five years. Shane wanted to brush her cheek with his fingers but he didn’t want to startle her awake so he just watched, breathing in her lavender vanilla scent. He watched Ashley’s face scrunch up and heard her whimper so his hand went up and stroked her hair. 

“Ashley, wake up, baby, you’re having a bad dream,” Shane said quietly in his most soothing voice.

Her eyes flashed open and she looked around wildly before realizing she was home and Shane was with her. She closed her eyes in relief a moment before opening them again and giving him a small grin.

“Good morning, handsome,” Ashley said wide awake at seeing Shane’s alert green eyes. She stretched her legs out before scooting closer to him and asked, “Have you been awake long?”

Shane rubbed her thigh before resting his arm on her waist to rub her back. "Not very long, beautiful. I was gonna let you sleep in but you had a bad dream. Do you want to talk about it?” he asked quietly, his forehead nearly touching hers.

“I don’t remember it all but I was back at the cemetery...talking to Jarrod...I was at his grave but he was there and then...Eric came up and reached out for me but then you...you woke me up before he could get me,” Ashley recalled quietly, trying to make sense of the fuzzy pictures in her head but they disappeared the longer she stared into Shane’s eyes.

Shane smiled sadly at her, “I’m glad I woke you then. Truthfully, I’m not ready to get up yet. I know we have work to do but I was hoping we could cuddle a little while.” He still wasn’t over the dread of waking up thinking she was gone.

Ashley nodded and smiled big, “I could use some cuddling, too. I’m not ready to get up yet, either.” She nuzzled next to Shane, raising her head long enough for him to put his arm under her neck and tucking her arms in front of her so he could hug her to him.

“Can I ask you something?” Shane asked, snuggling into her.

“What is it, love?” Ashley asked, enjoying his warmth and scent.

He kissed the top of her head before asking, “Do you want to have children one day? I mean, we never talked about it before...not really. I just assumed we would but after everything else, I don’t want to leave things like that untalked about.”

Ashley leaned up and kissed his neck, “I want as many children as you want, Shane. Every time I used to picture us, our future, I would always see our children running around the farm with Jas. I still see that future when I close my eyes.”

Shane couldn’t help but feel like his heart had not only knit closed just now but it literally grew with Ashley’s words. He leaned back enough to see the truth of her words with his own eyes and what he saw reflecting back at him made his life meaningful. She had given him a purpose beyond the two of them taking care of Jas by continuing their legacy through children of their own and passing the farm on to the next generation. _Ashley Rogers, love of my life, mother of my children...I like the sound of that,_ he thought as he shared her vision of their future.

If Ashley said the word, he would happily start on that family right now. “Can we get more chickens, too?” Shane asked to change the subject before the rest of him caught up with where his mind was going. 

Ashley giggled, “If you want a gaggle of children, we can also have a gaggle of chickens...One new chick for each new kid. And Jas can have her very own, too.” She wasn’t sure where all this was coming from but she was enjoying it. The only worry she had right now would be alleviated in a week...hopefully.

Shane kissed her sweetly and it slowly turned into a full-on makeout session. Ashley kept her mind on the feel of Shane’s kiss, his warmth, his strong arms, muscled body and thick fingers as he held her hand in his instead of the last person she had been intimate with. When he moved his kisses down to her neck, Ashley couldn’t help but tense up a moment but it was enough for Shane to notice.

He immediately stopped and sat up. “I’m sorry, we’re moving too fast,” he apologized, looking deep into her eyes to make sure she was alright.

Ashley felt bad for tensing up but everything was still a little raw for her. “It’s alright, Shane. We have time. It’ll come back to us just as everything else has,” she combed her fingers through his soft violet hair and leaned up to kiss him but he was a little less enthusiastic, not wanting to get carried away again. 

“We should probably get up now, the farm isn’t going to tend itself,” Ashley said softly as she studied Shane’s handsome features, continuing to catalog everything about him so there wasn’t room for anything irrelevant.

Shane gave her an apologetic smile and kissed her forehead before getting out of bed. Ashley lingered long enough to watch him stretch, admiring his musculature underneath the t-shirt and shorts he wore before she slipped out of bed. It was so cute the way he yawned and scratched his stomach at the same time that she had to smile. _Yoba, please have mercy...I can’t ever lose this man again…_

While Shane was getting ready in the bathroom, Ashley got dressed quickly and was slipping her shoes on when he came out. He came over and kissed the top of her head on his way to find some work clothes. They were quiet through breakfast and were getting ready to head outside when Buttons came up needing attention. 

“Oh, you silly kitten. We’re just going outside,” Ashley cooed at the kitten as she scratched behind her ears and rubbed the scruff of her neck. 

Shane smiled at her and opened the door but when Ashley took one step outside, she nearly tripped over something just past the threshold on the porch. “What the fu….” she started to say but recognized what she stumbled over. The letters AW+EW were scribbled all over the outside of the bag with a black marker.

“Is that a shopping bag?” Shane asked with a frown before searching the farm for any sign of the intruder.

Ashley picked it up and brought it over to her porch chair. When she looked inside, all the new clothes Eric had bought for her had been thrown in there. Taking one out she saw the same letters were drawn all over it. What did this mean? Was Eric just trying to mess with her or did this mean he was going to try something? 

Every item she pulled out had either been written on or had AW+EW cut into them and she tossed them out onto the porch until she got to the bottom. She stopped and her face paled, turning to stone as she stared at the item in the bottom of the bag...a pregnancy test. Before Shane could see anything, Ashley started cramming clothes back inside, covering the pregnancy test up before he had a chance to see what it was. 

Shane had stood there watching the concern grow on Ashley’s face when he finally realized what the letters stood for: Ashley Webber + Eric Winters. He wasn’t sure what was in the bottom of the bag but she looked like she had seen a ghost and it couldn’t have been anything good.

“Ash, are you okay? Should we call Mayor Lewis?” Shane asked, wanting to do something but there was no indication of whether Eric was still here or not. 

“Yes. I mean, no. Shit! No, don’t call Mayor Lewis. I don’t want everyone in town to know all our business,” Ashley said, her hands shaking and eyes wide.

Shane ran his hands through his hair, walked over to where Ashley was staring at the bag and gently grabbed her arms. “Ash, it’s a small town. Everyone’s gonna know something is up if we don’t show up in town soon anyways. Besides, the bruising on your face is going to raise even more questions. I can’t believe I’m saying this but...Wouldn’t it be better to get it out in the open so we have help?” he asked, trying to reason with her but he didn’t fully understand what was going on. 

Ashley took a deep breath, “I dunno, Shane…what if they want to kick us out for bringing trouble? We have to think about Jas and Marnie, too. Besides, what if he’s done now? This could’ve been his last jab at us.”

Shane stood back as he considered her words. He didn’t want his niece and aunt to suffer for their mistakes either. “Ash, you saw the evidence Detective Woods has. I don’t think he’s gonna stop, especially now that he knows which house we live in,” Shane explained gravely, watching her face lose any composure as she understood what he was saying.

She sniffled at the mess of this whole situation but there’s something else she needed to tell Shane while they were discussing matters. 

“Fuck it all. I wasn’t going to say anything until next week but given the circumstances...” she said, voice trembling as she searched the bottom of the bag bringing out Eric’s gift to her. 

Shane’s brows furrowed, “Is that a...pregnancy test?! Why would he...oh, Yoba.” He sat down on the porch stairs and put his face in his hands. He calmed his breathing, remembering that this sick fuck was just trying to mess with them. Turning to look at Ashley, he saw it had worked. 

“Why would you wait until next week to say something? Unless you...didn’t use protection,” Shane asked, figuring it out pretty quick. _That son of a bitch._ First he steals Ashley away, seduces her and now there’s a possibility that she could be carrying his child. Why the fuck not? The universe had a way of screwing Shane over so why not go all in? 

Ashley put her face in her hands before balling her right hand in a fist, “There’s a really good chance I’m not, though. I was hoping that I would just start and forget about it. I didn’t want you to be upset for no reason but I guess Eric just can’t leave it alone.” She sniffled and threw the box down on top of the open bag. 

Shane didn’t say anything else but was deep in thought. What if Ashley was pregnant? He couldn’t leave her after all they’ve been through. Would the kid be as evil as his biological father? Could he raise the child as his own, being that they were half of Ashley? All these questions pummeled his already exhausted brain, demanding to be answered for the sake of his future with this woman. 

Ashley broke him out of his thoughts, “I’ll understand if you need to sleep in the guest room tonight. I’m so sorry, Shane.” She waited a moment to let him answer. When he didn’t say anything, she started toward the front door. 

“Ashley, wait. I’m not mad at you...I’m just processing a lot right now,” Shane said slowly as he stood up to face her, “This fucker is toying with us and I’m not gonna let him anymore. Just...be calm and we’ll pray to Yoba that you start so we have no reason to see that son of a bitch anymore.” 

He reached out for Ashley but she hesitated a moment before coming into his hug. As strong as Shane was trying to be, he was glad Ashley couldn’t see the hurt in his eyes, especially when she didn’t immediately come to him. 

Ashley felt dirty...soiled by Eric in a way that she wouldn’t be able to wash off. She silently cried as Shane tried to console her but she couldn’t let him. Not until she knew for sure if she was pregnant or not. 

“I’m not sleeping in the guest bedroom. I’d rather be in our bed...you’d be safer if he does come back,” Shane said as he rocked her gently. _And I’ll feel better having Ashley next to me._

Ashley fixated on Shane calling her bed ‘our bed’ as she tried not to fall apart again. If they were going to get through this they needed to know now if she was pregnant.

“What if I went ahead and took the test? Or, rather, we get one from Doctor Harvey in case Eric messed with this one and get this over with?” Ashley thought aloud, “Then we can just move on and be ready for the next thing.”

Shane had to admit, taking the test now rather than waiting a week was favorable. The only problem was if she was pregnant, would he be able to look at Ashley the same way knowing who the father was? 

“I agree but...here’s a crazy idea, just hear me out…” Shane started, realizing it was a long shot and he was asking a lot of Ashley but it was for both their sanity, “What if we make love tonight with the intention of trying for a baby. That way, if you do get a positive, there's the possibility that the baby was ours all along...or at least we can think that way.” 

Shane knew he was grasping at anything that could make something good out of this shitty situation because he desperately wanted to get back to some semblance of normal for them. Ashley looked up into Shane’s eyes and saw the torment on his face. After just having talked about making babies together and being so excited about the prospect of trying, this was just too much right now. 

“Please don’t think me selfish if I want to find out now. I’m eighty percent sure I’m not pregnant. And, if I take another pregnancy test, I want it to be under happier circumstances. I want us to try on our own terms and be excited like other people...normal people...Is that wrong of me?” Ashley asked, tears in her eyes until Shane smiled weakly and leaned in to kiss her, cupping her face.

If Ashley was mostly sure she wasn’t pregnant and wanted to get the test done now, Shane couldn’t fault her for that, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We’ll go to Harvey’s now if you like; I don’t trust the one Eric sent.” _Yoba, please let her be right...if you have any mercy at all, you’ll give us this…_

Shane held Ashley a moment before she excused herself to the restroom, leaving him to call the clinic to see if there was an opening today. After a brief explanation, Doctor Harvey told them to come on in as soon as they were able. He stepped back inside with the shopping bag, packed it away in a garbage bag and took it back outside to the garbage can. 

While Ashley was in the bathroom, she looked at her face and wondered how Shane could stand to look at her… she was a mess, unattractive to say the least as the bruise on her cheek had started to turn purple. She splashed cold water on her face and lightly toweled off before taking a seat on the toilet to cry.

Ashley hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet and Shane began to worry. When he got to the bathroom door to knock, he heard her softly crying. _When will she get it through her head that we have to do this together.._. 

Shane rapped lightly on the door and asked, “Ashley, Dr. Harvey said we can come now.” When he heard her crying still, he rested his head on the door to keep from crying with her. Remembering the games they used to play, Shane switched tactics, “I’ll be there for you when the rain starts to pour. I’ll be there for you like I’ve been there before. I’ll be there for you like you’re there for me, too.”

Ashley was quiet for a long moment before Shane heard a giggle and the door suddenly opened. “The Friends theme song doesn’t count,” she said, sniffling while giving him a strained smile. Her eyes red from crying again.

“I beg to differ. It’s from the nineties and was played on radio stations independently. Besides, it’s all true and absolutely relevant,” Shane argued playfully, trying to keep up the momentum while he tucked her hair behind her ear.

Ashley rolled her eyes and conceded with a grin. “Fine, I’ll give you that one,” she replied before walking over to the sink with Shane following behind. Running cool water, Ashley cupped her right hand and splashed more water on her face. 

Shane held out a towel while he rubbed her back. “Ashley, I just want you to know that no matter what we find out today, I’m not going anywhere,” he said quietly as he watched her face twist in an effort to keep from crying again.

Ashley turned off the faucet and used the towel Shane held for her to dry her face. She fought the urge to cry again while her face was buried in the terry cloth. “I wish I’d never gotten on that damned bus,” she mumbled into it before putting it down on the counter, “I wish I’d have just locked my door and told you to stay away instead of running away like I always used to.”

“If wishes were dollars, I’d be a rich man…” Shane said as he hugged her tight. It seemed like this was all they had done since they got home...cry, hug, cry and hug some more.

To his surprise, Ashley let out a chuckle, “That’s almost exactly what Marnie said.” She smiled as she studied Shane’s face, watching the worry lines on his face disappear the longer they held each other.

“Let’s go. The sooner we get this over with, the better,” Shane coaxed her with a quick kiss. If they didn’t get on with it, he would lose his nerve.

They walked hand in hand to town until they got to the clinic and Shane opened the door for Ashley. The bell jingled and Maru greeted them behind the counter.

“Good afternoon, you two,” Maru smiled, her eyes moving from Ashley’s bruised face to where the Mermaid Pendant should have been, “Dr. Harvey said to send you on back, he’ll meet you at the end of the hall.” She gestured to the double doors and turned back to her files.

Ashley felt Shane’s hand on her back as they went through the doors and down the hallway, meeting Dr. Harvey like Maru said. 

“Ashley, Shane. Good to see you both,” Harvey greeted them cordially, taking note of Ashley’s injured face and hand, as he shook their hands, “If you’ll follow me, please.” 

Harvey led the couple to the exam room and closed the door behind them. Shane stood next to the table, holding Ashley’s hand as the doctor took a seat on his rolling stool. He took a look at the bruising on her face but didn’t ask her about it yet, just scribbled some notes in her file.

Addressing Ashley, Harvey began. “So, Ashley. Shane said you are in need of a pregnancy test. We have a couple of options. The quickest method would be a urine test but it needs to be taken as close to the date of your next menstrual period for more accurate results. The other option would be a blood test and, normally it would take a week but, since I have my own lab, it will only take two hours for the results.”

Shane and Ashley took one look at each other and back at Dr. Harvey, answering at the same time, “Blood test, please.”

Harvey chuckled at the couple’s enthusiasm, not knowing the depth of the situation but they didn’t correct him. “Alright! Let’s not delay, then,” he smiled and got to work immediately, washing his hands before drawing a vial of Ashley’s blood.

“If the two of you need to run any errands or would like to wait somewhere other than the clinic, I can text you when I get the results,” Harvey offered as he placed a cotton ball in the crook of Ashley’s arm and had her fold it up, putting her hand to her face. 

Ashley looked at Shane for his opinion but he deflected, “It’s up to you, Ash. I’m going to be nervous either way but I’d rather be close by.” _No unnecessary waiting_ , he thought.

“We’ll wait here, then,” Ashley answered with finality while Shane rubbed her back again.

“Very well. I’ll get started on the analysis right now,” Dr. Harvey scribbled something on her chart and stood up, “Before you wait in the lobby; I’ll need to talk to you about the bruising on your face and take a look at your hand. I’d like to make sure everything is healing like it should but I need more information.” He gave them a curt nod before turning to leave.

Shane rested his forehead on her shoulder, not looking forward to the conversation but he couldn’t begin to think of how Ashley must feel. “Everything is going to be fine,” he said quietly.

Dr. Harvey stepped back in the room, looking at the couple over the top of his glasses. “Now, tell me about this nasty bruise,” he commanded while checking Ashley over.

“Uh, condensed version, I guess... Shane and I had a big argument Saturday and broke up. I ran away to the city, my ex found me and ended up being an obsessive jerk that slapped me across the face when I tried to leave to come home with Shane yesterday,” Ashley explained plainly. 

Harvey listened intently as he made his assessment, “It looks like you should have gotten ice on it sooner but there’s minimal tissue damage. No blood vessels hemorrhaged and no loose teeth. Did you have a doctor look at you yesterday?” 

Since the doctor was finished, Ashley shook her head. “I made my way to a friend’s place, they gave me an ice pack and when Shane came to get me, we filed a police report and came home,” she explained quickly. 

“Hmm,” Dr. Harvey said, “Well, there’s been a lot of talk around town. A word of advice: be honest with the people here, okay? They’re going to gossip, small towns always do, but the truth is sometimes less scandalous than fabrication.”

Shane stood up straight at the doctor’s accusation. “What? You think I coulda done this? You have no idea what we’ve been through the past five days!” he said, raising his voice.

Ashley held Shane’s arm, “Shane, honey, calm down. I don’t think that the good doctor here is insinuating anything. I believe he’s suggesting we tell the rest of the town about our breakup and the bad ex is all.”

Dr. Harvey didn’t flinch or skip a beat, having been used to patient outbursts from his time in the city. “Ashley is correct. I’ve seen the way you two are around each other, Shane,” he said, a hint of sadness and pain in the doctor’s eyes, “I don’t believe you would do such a thing but there are people in town who would. Believe me when I say I’m on your side.”

Harvey unwrapped her hand to have a look and his eyebrows went up at seeing teeth marks. “What happened here?” he asked plainly.

Ashley frowned and stared at the floor, “I got upset yesterday and kinda checked out, biting my fist so Shane wouldn’t hear me cry. It’s been a while since I’ve done it but, uh, I think he stopped me before it got too bad.” 

The doctor sighed heavily, “Shane did a good job bandaging you up but I suggest you bring this up with your psychologist. It’s important to work through stress and traumatic situations in a healthy way rather than self-harm, as I’m sure you well know.” 

He bandaged her hand back up and stood, “Now, if you two will wait in the sitting room up front, I need to prepare this room for the next patient.” 

Shane helped Ashley down from the exam table and held her hand as they made their way back to the lobby, finding a seat in the corner. His knee bounced nervously as Ashley waited with her elbows on her knees. 

_Two hours_...the same amount of time as a bus ride but without the views to distract. If this test had been under happier circumstances, Ashley could imagine Shane taking her on a leisurely stroll at the beach or grabbing a bite at the Saloon. 

“What do you want to talk about for the next two hours?” Ashley asked Shane, who was driving her crazy with his nervous knee. She placed her hand on it and he stopped immediately. 

Shane leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and looked to where Maru was very focused on whatever thing she was entering into the computer. “Well, I could tell you Jas’s story. It’s important you know everything since we’re planning to take care of her together,” Shane said quietly. 

Ashley leaned back and put her hand on his thigh, “I’m ready to hear it. I’ve already messed up a few times and I don’t want to cause that sweet girl anymore unnecessary sadness.” She looked at him with remorse, knowing there were five days worth of conversations he’d had with Marnie concerning Jas’s breakdowns that she wasn’t privy to.

Shane spent most of the time explaining Jas’s past in a linear fashion. His older brother, Matt, was an abusive alcoholic like their father had been and married his wife, Annie, when they were both nineteen. For years they tried to conceive and finally did shortly before Shane started college. When Jas was three, Matt found out Annie had been cheating with her coworker and beat her in a drunken rage in front of Jas. By that time, Shane had nearly finished with therapy for the painkillers he got hooked on after the car accident and tried to get custody of Jas but she was put into Foster care. Her foster family was nice enough but Jas realized she would never see her parents again and gave them a difficult time. No one in their family wanted to help, worried that their problems would interfere with their comfortable way of life so Shane kept working any job he could get until he could afford to petition the judge for sole legal custody of Jas. It took Shane the better part of a year to save up enough and Jas had been moved to another foster family that also had some difficulties but seemed better. Then, before Shane could go before the judge, Aunt Marnie called him up and offered to take them in as long as Shane would be able to help financially. It took them six months to go through the court proceedings and Marnie was given temporary custody pending Shane’s therapy.

“Jas is terrified that something else will happen and she’ll lose Marnie or me but we’ve made progress while living here. When we started dating, Marnie was worried about how fast Jas had taken to you despite my disagreeing with her. Ash, I’ve never seen that girl connect with someone so quickly but she did with you and Jas was beside herself when she heard you were moving back to the city,” Shane added, staring down at their hands as he spoke, “She refused to eat or sleep until we came back home... together.”

Ashley’s heart hurt for that poor girl. She had no idea how much Jas missed her and she was sure Eric must have kept that information from her as well. “Well, hopefully we can do right by her and give her the happy childhood she deserves,” she replied quietly, picking at the hole in the knee of her jeans.

Shane squeezed her hand before turning her to face him, putting Ashley’s knees in between his. “We will. Once we get past everything...” he said with a hopeful smile a quick kiss. 

He looked down at her left hand and rubbed her ring finger with his thumb. The engagement ring in his pocket was aching to be put back on her finger and the amulet wanted to be around her neck, both burning a hole in his jeans. _After we get the results...no matter what they say, I will make it official again._ Shane was painfully aware that neither of them had actually mentioned the words marriage or wedding since Saturday after the break-up. 

The double doors opened and Harvey came through with the test results, “Would the two of you follow me back, please.” He gave them a generic smile as they entered and headed down the hall, “To the right, please.”

Shane and Ashley were nervous at not getting any clue from the doctor as they sat in the chairs Harvey pointed to. Shane put his arm around Ashley’s shoulders and she placed her hand on his knee while they looked at the doctor.

Harvey sighed and said, “I’m sorry, but your results came back negative. I double-checked to make sure but there’s no baby this time.” He gave them comforting smiles as they both hugged each other, trying to hide the relief on their faces. 

Ashley let the tears of happiness fall while Shane stood up and shook Harvey’s hand, “Thanks, doctor. We appreciate you seeing us today.” He turned to see Ashley smiling bravely back at him and helped her to her feet. 

They quietly made their way out of the clinic and walked on fast feet back to the farmhouse, not wanting to show anyone how happy they were at not being pregnant. Not that anyone else would know that’s why they were visiting the clinic if they saw them, but still. As soon as they made it past the bus stop, Shane stopped and grabbed Ashley by the waist, picked her up and turned her around in a circle before setting her back down. Without a word, Shane leaned in and kissed Ashley tenderly at first but then more eager as her arms went up around his neck. 

They finally felt free to be with each other and Shane knew what he had to do. “When we get back to the farm and finish up, would you like to go on a picnic? We can pick up some food at the Saloon and head up to the mountains by the lake,” he asked.

Ashley’s eyes sparkled as she smiled, “That sounds wonderful. It’ll be a celebratory dinner date.” _We can get back to normal stuff now._

With another quick kiss, they were off to the farm to finish the day's work. Ashley was humming to herself as she weeded and Shane did the picking. He couldn’t help it but every now and then he would catch himself watching Ashley work. It was interesting to him just how therapeutic gardening could be when just hours ago they were at such a low. Well, the farming and news that Ashley wasn’t pregnant after all. Still, Shane thoroughly enjoyed working on the farm with Ashley and looked forward to picking up where they had left off...which is what he intended to do very soon. 

After they got the watering done, Shane and Ashley cleaned up quickly and grabbed a blanket for their picnic. Shane texted Marnie on their way to town, letting her know they’d be by after their late lunch to watch Jas for their Friday night movie while Ashley called in their order for sandwiches and pepper poppers. Walking hand in hand, fingers laced, the couple enjoyed the cool fall afternoon as they went along the dirt path into town. 

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back here. To be here with you, and Jas and Marnie...to feel the sun on my face and to work in the dirt with my hands. It’s my happy place,” Ashley said, amazed at the change in their mood since this morning. The Valley was so magical that she was convinced this was why her grandfather had moved out there in the first place and left it to her. 

Shane squeezed her hand while his other was in his pocket holding the engagement ring and pendant. He smiled knowingly as he listened to his girl and felt exactly the same way for the first time since moving here. Just the thought that they had both lived in Zuzu City for so long, totally unaware of the other and possibly even passing on the street at some point, and they both ended up here. Both having a difficult past and both moving here as a last ditch effort at a chance for a quieter life. Perhaps the universe was finally giving them a break. 

“You’re my happy place, Ashley Webber, no matter where we are. And this town really is a beautiful place to live and raise a family,” he mused, stealing a quick kiss.

They both popped inside the Saloon to grab the food and drinks, welcomed by a happy Gus and a concerned Emily. 

“Welcome back, you two!” Gus began, his smile faltering the slightest at seeing the bruise on Ashley’s face but he didn’t say anything. “Let me pop to the back and see how the pepper poppers are coming along and Emily will get your drinks,” he added before carrying on like normal. 

Emily, however, was a little less tactful but well-meaning, “Your auras are broken, darker, but I can see they’re on the mend.” She leaned in to speak quietly to Ashley, “I’m here anytime you need to talk, okay? No pressure.” She smiled warmly at the both of them before sliding their to-go cups in front of them. 

Ashley smiled back at her, “Thanks, Emily.” She wrapped her hand around Shane’s and felt him squeeze lightly. 

Gus came back around with two bags and set them on the counter, “Here ya go, two Italian subs and an order of pepper poppers.”

Shane put the money down on the counter and grabbed the bags with a small nod and a ‘thanks’ before heading out. 

“There’s a little island I think would be a perfect place to picnic,” Shane said as they neared Robin’s house. _And it should make for a romantic spot to propose._

Getting closer Ashley saw it across two narrow wooden bridges, presumably built by the carpenter. She’d only been out to the mines a few times, planning to check it out this winter when the crops weren’t growing so she hadn’t spent a lot of time up here.

They saw a soft red glow come from next to the bridge and noticed Sebastian standing there with his cigarette. He turned upon hearing the two of them coming his way and looked long at Ashley’s face before tossing the butt on the ground to stamp it out. 

Sebastian came up to Shane and Ashley, blowing out a puff of smoke as he walked. “So, you’ve returned to shit-town,” he said darkly before turning to Ashley. “I saw your picture in the paper. This Eric’s work?” he asked, pointing vaguely to her face.

Shane was livid and responded before Ashley could, “Yeah it is. What’s it to you, Sebastian?” He remembered seeing the two of them talking all buddy-buddy at the fair so he didn’t trust him.

Sebastian didn’t flinch but scoffed, shaking his head. “Eric _used_ to be a client of mine but I don’t do business with guys who like to hit women,” he said with a disgusted look on his face. “Damn shame. He paid well, too. Later,” he said before walking back to his house.

Ashley let out a slow breath. Apparently, Eric’s reach had affected them in ways they hadn’t thought about. If Sebastian had read the paper it was safe to assume everyone else in Pelican Town had as well.

“Maybe we should go ahead and tell everyone what happened,” Ashley said, feeling better about part of the work being done already and at Sebastian’s show of support, of all people.

Shane had processed what Sebastian had said and must have come to the same conclusion. “Yeah, that was weird but you’re right. If he saw the paper, most of the townsfolk must have,” he said, unconsciously reaching for Ashley’s hand.

“Let's not waste anymore of our picnic time. I don’t want those pepper poppers to get cold,” Ashley said cheerily, trying to lighten the mood again as they continued on their way across the two wooden bridges to the island.

Their life the past six days had been a roller coaster ride with all the ups and downs with a few whiplashes thrown in there. Shane was upset to have his proposal attempt thwarted by Eric, even if it was indirectly. Would they ever get a break? Probably not.


	23. *A Wedding and A Funeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a negative pregnancy test, Shane feels like they can finally get on with their life but will Eric let Ashley?

After a couple of hours of kissing, cuddling and watching the sun start to set, they packed up their romantic picnic and headed to the ranch. The sun was on the horizon by the time they made it and said goodbye to Marnie for their movie night, eating leftovers from the fridge. Marnie had made it home by the time they finished with tucking Jas in after her bedtime story.

“When can I come sleepover with you and Aunt Ashley in my room?” Jas asked after her uncle kissed her forehead. 

Shane smiled warmly, “I’ll talk to Aunt Marnie about tomorrow, okay?” He looked at Ashley for confirmation and she nodded before leaning down to kiss Jas on the top of her head. 

“I’ll see if we can get some ice cream, too,” Ashley said with a twinkle in her eye. 

Jas gasped and giggled, “Can we get chocolate ice cream and strawberries?”

Ashley nodded, “We’ll see what we can do. Goodnight, sweet girl. See you tomorrow.” 

Jas let out a big yawn, “I love you, Uncle Shane. I love you, Aunt Ashley.”

Ashley held Shane’s hand as they replied together, “We love you, Jazzy Bear.” 

Closing the door halfway shut behind them, they tiptoed away from Jas’s room and headed to the kitchen to say goodnight to Marnie. She was sitting with a cup of tea, doing the crossword puzzle in the paper when they entered.

“Can Jas spend the day with us tomorrow and sleepover?” Shane asked Marnie as they sat at the table.

“Sure but I figured you two would want some alone time,” Marnie said without looking up as she filled in an answer and crossed out the clue.

Ashley was glad she hadn’t looked up to see their faces blush red. “We have plenty of time for that. Um, before I forget, I was thinking that the four of us could start a new Spirit’s Eve tradition of carving pumpkins. That is, if you don’t have a tradition already,” she said, hoping to divert the conversation to something other than being with the man she desperately wanted to be with but physically couldn’t.

“That sounds like a great idea, Ash!” Shane chimed in, happy to change the subject as well, “Whaddya say, Aunt Marnie?”

Marnie looked up at the two of them and chuckled at their naivety, “We don’t have a tradition so that sounds good. You want to carve pumpkins tomorrow?”

Ashley beamed, “How about Wednesday? We should have some nice pumpkins for carving by then. Mayor Lewis hasn’t asked for any for the Spirit’s Eve celebration yet so we’ll have our pick.” The town’s celebration was being held in a week so Ashley was bummed to have missed out on a well-needed hefty profit.

Marnie smiled, “Actually, he asked while you two were out of town but we’ll pick the ones we want anyway.” She winked at Ashley and went back to her work on her puzzle. 

Shane and Ashley excused themselves for the evening after Marnie promised to bring Jas up after breakfast in the morning. As they walked along the path to the farmhouse, the night air was cold and heavy from the rains yesterday. When Ashley shivered, Shane put his arm around her shoulder so she could snuggle into him and kissed her head. His other hand was in his pocket, fingering the pendant and ring. _I’ll have to find another romantic setting to propose since tonight’s was botched._

“What do you want to do tonight? We have a few hours before we need to hit the hay,” Shane asked, trying to sound like farmers on television to make Ashley smile. 

She smiled up at him and giggled, “Hit the hay? You’re such a dork but I love you.” 

Shane smiled back at her before stopping long enough to get a kiss, “Dork or not, we’re farmers and farmers hit the hay.”

“Well, we need a barn first. Maybe we should try Marnie’s out first to see how we like it,” Ashley teased. 

It had almost been two days since leaving the city and Ashley wanted so badly to be with Shane. She was hoping she’d be better by Sunday since going to the bathroom and washing herself didn’t hurt as bad anymore. 

Shane gave her his side-eye and a grin, “You’re such a tease, my beautiful succubus. We’ll try it out as soon as you give me the green light. Hope you don’t mind the cows, horses, pigs and chickens watchin’.” 

“They’ll just have to stay outside until we’re done!” Ashley laughed, poking him in the side, making him wiggle away. 

Shane came back over and swiftly scooped her up in his arms. Ashley held onto him, her arms around his neck and watched him expectantly. “I know I keep saying this, but I am so happy we’re home… together again,” he said, gazing lovingly at his broken angel. 

Ashley smiled and kissed him sweetly, snuggling up into his neck. “Me, too. There’s something magical about this place and I’m glad it brought us together,” she said, sighing happily as she wiggled her feet. 

Shane kissed Ashley’s forehead before lowering her back to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her waist, “Want to cuddle up next to the fireplace tonight?” _Maybe I can salvage this day after all..._

Ashley tucked her hair behind her ear and brought her hands up behind his neck, “I would like that very much.” _My dearest love, how I wish we could be together tonight,_ she thought, seeing the weight in his eyes mirror her own. 

With a sweet kiss, Shane held her hand as they continued toward the house. Once inside, he locked the door behind them. It was late but he needed to do this. While Ashley was in the kitchen getting their hot chocolate ready, Shane started a fire in the fireplace and spread the picnic blanket out in front.

When Ashley came over with their mugs with extra marshmallows in Shane’s, she smiled sweetly as she joined him on the blanket. Snuggling up together watching the flames flicker and listening to the wood crackle, they sipped their drinks and took turns stealing kisses. 

Shane let out a slow breath after he finished with his hot cocoa, intent on showing Ashley he was serious about still sharing a future with her. His arm was around her shoulder and he couldn’t help but kiss her head seeing she was nearly done with her cocoa.

When Ashley stood to take her cup to the sink, she took Shane’s as well. “Here, I’ll take that,” she said with a sweet smile, looking for any opportunity to make Shane feel loved and taken care of.

“Thanks, Ash,” Shane replied with a grin, knowing what he was getting ready to do… again. 

He watched her walk to the kitchen and place the cups in the sink, running hot water in them. She wiped her hands on the kitchen towel and came back over to the fireplace to find Shane standing with his back against the fire.

When Ashley got closer, Shane took her hands in his and went down on one knee. He looked into the eyes of the only woman that had ever looked at him like he was worth something, the only woman who had made an effort to see beyond his pain and gruff exterior to his core, bringing out the good in him.

“Ashley Webber, we have been through so much together the past two months. You make me want to be a better man, not just for you but for myself and the ones that depend on me. Would you do me the honor of being my wife and the mother of our children for the rest of our days?” Shane asked as his hands trembled. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous this time. He’d already asked her once but this time seemed more...right. 

Ashley looked at her beautiful Shane and came down on her knees before him, “Shane Rogers, I love you. I want no other man to be my husband and the father of my children. So, yes...again.” She held out her hand as he slipped the ring back on her finger, kissing it before placing the Mermaid Pendant around her neck. 

Shane wrapped her up in one of his bear hugs and buried his face in her neck, laughing happily. “I love you, too, Ash,” he murmured. His heart beating erratically as he realized this was definitely happening. They were stronger than before and nothing would keep them from being together this time. 

\-----

Jas was excited to spend the whole day with her aunt and uncle. “You mean, Aunt Ashley wants to teach ME how to take care of her farm, too?” she asked excitedly. She already knew how to help with the ranch because Aunt Marnie and Uncle Shane had taught her but now she could learn about growing the crops, too!

Marnie chuckled and patted her on the head, “Yes, ma’am! Now, finish up your breakfast so we can get your bag packed.”

Jas did as she was told and got everything packed up with Marnie’s approval, making sure to bring her favorite bunny slippers and bedtime story. They trudged up the path and met Ashley near the house where Marnie took notice that Ashley was wearing the Mermaid Pendant and her engagement ring again. 

“Aunt Ashley! I’m ready to learn how to help in the garden now!” Jas said as she ran up to her, jumping into Ashley’s arms. 

“Hey, kiddo! Did you grow this morning? You feel bigger than yesterday!” Ashley exclaimed with a wink to Marnie. 

Shane had been looking over the greenhouse so he wandered over when he heard them. 

Jas just giggled, “Maybe, I dunno.” As soon as Shane got closer she was out of Ashley’s arms and into his. 

“Whoa! I think your Aunt Ashley is right! You ARE bigger today! What did you eat for breakfast?” Shane asked as he lifted her up like he was bench pressing. He pretended to strain and grunted as he put her down on the ground, “Phew! Yep, she’s gotten bigger.” When Jas ran off laughing to greet Buttons, Shane stepped over to Marnie for a hug. 

“What are you working on over there?” she asked, eyeing what used to be the greenhouse until the storm ruined it. 

“It was the greenhouse,” Shane replied, scratching his itchy chin, “Ashley had already broken most of it down, collecting the panels and wood before the storm hit. I’m looking to see what’s left so we can build it back before this winter.” He rubbed the back of his neck, considering the amount of time and money would have to be put towards rebuilding it.

Marnie nodded in approval, “That’ll be a good thing to have, too. With you not working at Joja anymore, you two are going to need every bit of income you can get. Let me know what you need and I’ll check the barn for anything useful.”

Ashley noticed Jas was getting impatient so she got things moving, “Alright! Speaking of money, time IS money and we’re burning daylight! Come on, Princess. Give your Aunt Marnie her goodbye hugs so we can get to work.” Jas listened to her aunt and gave Marnie hugs. 

Before Marnie left she asked, “One last thing before I go. Congratulations on your re-engagement. When are we gonna do this?”

She watched their perplexed faces and barreled on, “I recommend sooner rather than later. Typically, here in Stardew Valley, when a suitor presents the Mermaid Pendant, they get married in three days. Now, the folks in town know you two are both from the city so they had cut you some slack but there’s been questions going around lately. We need to do this sooner rather than later so I say you do it the traditional way. Three days from today is Tuesday. We’ll do it then.”

“Do we even have time to get everything done?” Ashley asked, astonished at the idea of a small town preparing so quickly. She looked at Shane for his input but he shrugged and looked at Marnie.

Marnie smiled knowingly, “Chickadee, you’d be surprised what this little town can do in a short amount of time. So, yes, we can get it done.”

Shane liked the sound of it except that the Panitelli’s may not be able to come, “I’ll need to talk to Tony and Marge. If we get married without them coming, they’ll never forgive us... especially after all they did to help Ashley and me.”

Marnie’s face was set with determination, “Call them now. We need to get this thing back on track because, Yoba forbid, something else comes along to mess it up. You two have the worst luck but we’ll make it right.” She winked and pulled out her phone to start making notes. 

Shane got out his phone and walked back over to the greenhouse to call the Panitelli’s while Ashley emailed her sister, Uncle Bill and the few people on her list. Marnie texted Mayor Lewis to let him know what was going on. Fifteen minutes later, Shane came back in with a dazed look on his face. 

“Well, what did Tony say? Can they make it?” Ashley asked excitedly but worried. 

Shane nodded, “Yeah. They’re even offering to bring food for the reception if we need it. And, Ashley, Tony said his offer still stands.”

Marnie looked confused, “What offer?”

Ashley nearly started to cry, “Mr. Panitelli said he’d give me away if my Uncle Bill refused to.” She’d not heard from her uncle before they had to cancel and was sure that he definitely wouldn’t come at all now.

Things started hitting her fast so Ashley had to sit down on the porch steps with how quickly this was happening. _I guess that’s why they call it a whirlwind_ , she thought. As if the universe just couldn’t let up, Ashley’s phone notified her of a new email. Shane and Marnie watched as Ashley read the message, a mix of emotions over her face. When she finally looked up, they were waiting expectantly for an explanation of who sent the message and what they said. 

“Keelie is coming,” Ashley whispered. If she hadn’t been sitting already she would have taken a seat. “My sister is coming to the wedding!” she exclaimed with a giddy chuckle. 

Shane smiled and hugged Ashley, picking her up to twirl her. “That’s awesome! I know how much this means to you, Ash.” 

Marnie told them she’d handle things this morning while they worked and would talk to them after lunch. They waved goodbye until Marnie turned back around to the ranch. 

Ashley clapped her hands together, “Alright, Miss Jas. You help your Uncle with the chickens and I’ll start weeding the crops.”

Shane and Jas took off to the chicken coop while Ashley grabbed her spade. About halfway through the weeding, Shane and Jas helped Ashley finish before they got to picking. Ashley took the time to show Jas how to tell which crops were ready for picking and how to tell the weeds from plants. Like her Uncle Shane, Jas was a fast learner. 

While they were weeding near the sweet potato patch, Ashley found two odd-looking weeds poking out of the grass. She knelt down to take a better look, pushing the grass down around them.

“Here’s a different weed than the others but there’s only two. Do either of you know what they are?” Ashley asked, standing to dust the dirt off her pants and let the others get a closer look. 

Shane shook his head, “I say leave them and see what grows. What did you have planted near here before the storm?”

Ashley remembered it was a type of flower she’d never heard of but the name wasn’t coming to her, “I had planted some flowers that are indigenous to this area, just a few since I’d never heard of them before.” 

Jas looked at the leaves and perked up, “Are they Fairy Flowers?” She had learned about them from Miss Penny, her teacher. They were Jas’s favorite flower but she’d never seen one either. 

Ashley opened her mouth in surprise, “That’s it, Jas! Fairy Flowers! They must have relocated with all the rain. Well done, sweet pea.” Ashley hugged Jas. 

They trimmed away the grass around the fairy flowers and stacked rocks around them before finishing the weeding and put the tools away.

“We’re getting done with the work faster with your help, Jazzy Bear!” Shane complimented her after they’d finished for the day. 

“It’s ‘cause I have great teachers,” Jas explained, shrugging her shoulders like it was so obvious. Placing the tools next to the porch, Jas looked up at her aunt and uncle, “Whew, I’m pooped. I need a nap!”

Shane’s smooth laugh made Ashley smile and earned him a kiss. “We’ll all wash up and let you take a quick nap before going to town, okay?” he said, holding his hand out for Ashley to take. “C’mon. You have a little dirt...right...there!” He said, dabbing her right cheek with the dried mud on his hand. 

“Hey! That was a cheap shot!” Ashley exclaimed, laughing loudly as she chased Shane around the front yard trying to wipe it on his shirt. 

Shane was laughing heartily and slowed just enough for Ashley to catch him but when she tried to wipe her cheek on his arm, he turned on her and picked her up by her waist, flinging her over his shoulder. Her raucous laughter upset the chickens and drew Jas back outside to see what fun she was missing. 

Ashley’s legs were kicking as she tried to get loose but Shane had gotten strong working on the farm and had finally surpassed her. Instead, she gave up and rested her head on her elbows, waiting for him to put her down. “Can I get a little help here, Jas?”

The girl giggled and shook her head ‘no’ before Shane slipping Ashley down in front as her arm stayed around his neck. Putting her other arm around his neck, he looked at her. Ashley’s chocolate brown eyes were bright and sparkled almost like they used to. The swelling in her face had gone down but the deep purple and green bruises were a sad reminder of what they’d been through. He watched the curve of her rich red lips come up into a smile and he sighed happily. 

“What is it, love?” Ashley asked as Shane just took her in. 

“I’m just looking at you, my beautiful Ashley. You mean everything to me and I’m happy we’re home. More importantly, I’m happy we’re together,” Shane replied with a loving and tender smile. He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes, holding onto this moment to pull strength from later.

Ashley’s smile grew before she leaned to kiss him, forgetting that Jas was watching until she let out a big breath. 

“Oh, brother. Will you two cut it out?” Jas said in her best grown-up girl voice, eliciting a giggle from Ashley and a cute snort from Shane. 

He stole a quick kiss and hug from Ashley before they stepped inside to clean up. After washing hands and faces, changing clothes and laying Jas down, Ashley and Shane cuddled up on the couch. They decided to grab some tomato soup and grilled cheese fixings for dinner to go with ice cream and strawberries, if Pierre’s had any. 

As they cuddled, Shane watched Ashley play with her engagement ring and pendant. She wouldn’t take either off, not even for their shower last night when they washed each other. She had wanted to go down on Shane in the shower but he said he’d rather wait so they could enjoy each other. He wanted Ashley so bad he hurt but he also knew she wanted him as badly. He deserved to wait after putting them through all that shit.

While Ashley lay on Shane’s stomach, warm and comfy, he petted her head. She thought about the wedding expenses, the cost to rebuild the greenhouse and how much financial strain having a baby would put on them. They needed a way to make the most money out of their efforts and as Ashley considered possible avenues, she thought about canning or winemaking but didn’t have a clue how to do either of these things.

“Shane?” Ashley spoke quietly. He answered with a ‘hmm?’, seeming to be deep in thought himself. “I was thinking about how we can make enough money to pay for everything, especially since the storm set us back so much. I think we can make more money doing something besides selling the produce, like canning or making wine,” she finished, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. 

Shane raised his eyebrows at the prospect, “I’ve never done anything like that so I dunno, Ash. To get started would cost money, too. Besides the wedding and greenhouse, what else is gonna cost us a lot?” He was running his fingers in a small circle on her back.

“Well, neither of us has any insurance so we’ll be paying out of pocket when we do decide to have children,” Ashley said with a small smile. The idea of getting married in three days and possibly starting on a family was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

He smiled at her, brushing her cheek with his fingers, “We’ve got time to figure out the whole having babies thing. Now is supposed to be the most profitable season for farmers so we’ll use some of my savings to buy seeds to replace what we lost and have time to make it up and then some. If you want to learn to preserve foods, we can try it. It can’t be that hard to learn, Marnie and Mrs. Mullner both know how.” 

Ashley smiled, “I like how easy it is for you and me to become ‘we’.” Being with Shane had always felt like that, though.

Shane looked at her a moment longer. Ashley was absolutely right, it was completely natural. He had already started calling things theirs and ‘we can do this’ or ‘we can do that’. “Come here,” he said, cupping her cheek. 

She pushed herself up on the couch to be higher up and he shifted lower to hold her closer. Raising Ashley’s chin to his face, Shane kissed her tenderly. It was an odd position so Ashley moved to straddle Shane instead and they continued their kisses, his hands finding her backside giving her a squeeze.

“Don’t start something we can’t finish,” Ashley teased as she leaned back for a breath, “Remember, we’re not alone.”

Shane’s blood was pumping and he almost didn’t care. The need to be with this woman was so powerful it was almost maddening. “I can’t help myself when you’re _right_ _there_ ,” he said half-joking as he motioned with both hands to where she was straddling him.

Ashley couldn’t hold back her smile and wondered if they could get away with a quickie. “But I’m so comfy and cozy now. Besides that, I’m feeling better today so maybe we could...,” she teased with a kiss on his neck before getting up. The look Shane gave her said he was hoping for the same thing. 

“You are diabolical, my beautiful succubus. Just keep quiet,” Shane said as he followed her to the bedroom in hopes they would have enough time for this before Jas woke up.

Closing and locking the door behind them, Shane turned to Ashley who immediately had her arms around his neck. His arms went around her waist as they backed toward the bed with their foreheads together.

“If you start to feel uncomfortable or feel any pain, I’m stopping,” Shane warned in between kisses.

Ashley nodded and, when they got to the bed, they took their bottoms off quickly, not bothering with their shirts to save time. Ashley sat on the edge of the bed while Shane rolled the condom on. He slipped in slowly as her legs wrapped around his waist. Both shuddered at that first thrust and breathed heavily with each one after. Shane kept a slow, easy pace until Ashley guided him to go faster and harder. 

When Ashley felt she was going to cry out, she pulled Shane down to kiss him deeply which just made him thrust harder and deeper until they both came hard. The tiniest moan escaped her mouth so she bit her bottom lip to keep anymore from slipping out. 

Shane was panting hard with the last of his release, holding Ashley’s hips firmly in his hands. He had just pulled out when they heard a tiny knocking on the door and dropped his head as Ashley stifled a giggle. 

“We’ll be out in a minute, Jas. Aunt Ashley and I are just getting ready to go,” Shane said as steadily as he could, the adrenaline that had fueled him was completely drained after the exertion of their quickie. 

They heard her small voice respond, “Okay...I’m hungry. Are we gonna eat soon?” 

Ashley, who was able to speak a little more clearly, answered, “Yes, ma’am! Just give us a few minutes, okay?” Shane was looking down at her with sultry eyes before kissing her again.

Jas didn’t answer but they heard her little feet scuffle away, most likely chasing Buttons around. Ashley pulled her pants up over her hips and smiled mischievously at Shane. He returned the look with a quick kiss as he zipped up. A quick wash in the bathroom and they were out the door in a few minutes, as promised. 

Shane gave Jas a piggy back ride to the ranch for lunch while Ashley followed alongside humming quietly as they walked. 

“Is that the song you sang to me during the storm, Aunt Ashley?” Jas asked, shifting her head to Shane’s other shoulder to look at her.

Ashley smiled, “It sure is, princess. My mommy used to sing it to me when I was scared or sad. Even though she’s gone now, I still hum it sometimes.”

Jas frowned as a thought came to mind, “Are you scared or sad right now, Aunt Ashley?” 

She brought her hand up to rub Jas’s back, “No, sweet girl. I’m not sad or scared. Sometimes I hum it when I miss my mom or when I’m happy. Right now, I’m happy.” 

Jas’s face relaxed as she smiled, “I’m happy, too, Aunt Ashley.” 

Shane, who had been listening to their conversation, smiled to himself and made a mental note to ask her about the song later _. Maybe she’ll sing it for me._

After a quick lunch, they spent the next half an hour going over last minute details including the final guest list, which hadn’t really changed since Keelie’s plate would be covered by the guests that wouldn’t be coming. When Marnie was happy with the progress she finally let them go but, before they left, Shane and Ashley told Marnie that they wanted the townspeople to know about their story and gave her the condensed version to relay since telling Caroline and Jodi would be the fastest way of spreading it.

They walked to town with Jas swinging between them, feeling like a proper family. The afternoon sun was warm on their faces despite the dark clouds on the horizon on this cool Saturday. The weather forecast was calling for scattered showers throughout the day tomorrow but should clear up before Tuesday. 

Marnie texted them while they walked saying Emily needed them over for final adjustments to Shane’s suit and Ashley’s dress after dropping Jas off at Marnie’s tomorrow. Ashley was still amazed at how efficient the town was at getting the wedding set up in three days, especially after they had postponed.

Pierre’s door jingled when they entered, causing the patrons who were in there to look up. Ashley realized she was holding her breath until she noticed everyone was smiling at them and smiled back. Pierre called out a hello from the counter so Shane responded with a small wave and a small smile, more than anyone else in town had ever seen.

Ashley held the basket and pointed out the things Jas could add while Shane walked right behind her adding a few snack foods and cookies before carrying a case of sparkling water in one hand and a jug of apple cider in the other. Ashley grabbed a pint of chocolate ice cream for Jas but Shane said to add strawberry, too, so she did. Pierre didn’t have any fresh strawberries so they found some strawberry topping instead. 

When their basket was full, the three made their way to the front counter behind Leah, who was just finishing up. She smiled warmly at them as she left, “See you guys at the wedding!” 

Shane couldn’t help but smile with Ashley at that. “See you Tuesday, Leah!” she replied for them, feeling like Shane may have been on to something with this community thing. 

Pierre’s smile was a little more amused. “You guys already look like a proper family. It’s cute,” he said as he rang up their groceries, trying not to stare at the bruise on Ashley’s face.

“Thanks,” Shane said before pointing to the seeds, “We need some seeds for the farm, too. The hurricane the other week washed away a lot of Ashley’s crops.” He was really trying to put on his grumpy guy persona but Ashley had given him a reason to not be that way anymore.

Pierre’s smile changed to one of sympathy, “That’s tough for sure. Lots of gardens and houses were damaged in the storm. Which seeds are you wanting?” He looked at Shane but he shrugged, deferring to Ashley. 

“Corn, eggplant, cranberry, yam and pumpkin seeds, please. I was conservative and didn’t purchase enough seeds for a second planting, waiting on the profits from the first,” Ashley explained, remembering how hopeless she felt about it before Shane started helping full-time. Now they could double their efforts and grow twice as much and hopefully be able to afford a better sprinkler system by spring.

Adding those to the tab, Pierre gave them the total and Ashley paid while Shane scooped up the bags in his arms. “See you at the wedding Tuesday!” Pierre said as they headed out.

Once outside, the general store they hurried back to the farm singing a silly song Jas had taught them today from one of her kid’s shows. They got inside and set all the groceries on the table, putting the ice cream in the freezer before starting on dinner. While Ashley taught Shane how to cook grilled cheese the way her mother taught her, Jas watched cartoons with Buttons curled up in her lap. The soup was simply warmed up in the microwave and a pot of apple cider was put on the stovetop. Shane watched the way Ashley threw in a stick of cinnamon, a small handful of cloves and two star anise. Her secret ingredient was a splash of orange juice. 

It was such a simple dinner but perfect comfort food for a cool autumn evening. Shane ate two whole grilled cheeses and two huge bowls of soup himself. Jas, who had never eaten grilled cheese with tomato soup before, ended up clearing her bowl and asking for seconds. 

“See! What did we say? Growing girl,” Shane joked sweetly, patting her head.

After dinner, they ate ice cream and drank apple cider while playing gold fish. Turns out, that was a terrible idea because half of the playing cards ended up getting sticky with strawberry topping so they were only able to play one round. Cuddling up on the couch in a big pile, they watched a few cartoons until Jas started to yawn, indicating it was time for bed. Ashley helped her wash up and get into her pajamas while Shane cleaned up the kitchen and dining table then they all sat in Jas’s room for story time.

Shane watched Ashley read the story, almost by heart as many times as she’d heard it or read it in the past two months. _She’s going to make a great mother, too._ He admired Ashley’s undying loyalty and fierce love for those she now called family. It made him sad to know she had a whole family out there that didn’t want to know her anymore. _Maybe I can at least call her Uncle Bill. If he doesn’t come to the wedding, maybe he’ll come out afterwards._ That was something to think about tomorrow because the end of Jas’s bedtime story was coming up and he was looking forward to spending more time with his beautiful fiancee. 

After Jas was tucked in and kissed on the forehead by both her auntie and uncle, they eased the door nearly shut. Shane and Ashley crept to their bedroom, locking the door behind them to grab a shower before spending the rest of the night quietly making love. 

Afterwards, Shane curled up behind Ashley, wrapping his arm around her waist and kissed her neck, “Goodnight.” 

“Mmm. Goodnight, my love,” Ashley replied with a contented sigh as she snuggled into him and closed her eyes.

Ashley woke up a few hours later, it was still dark and Shane wasn’t in the bed. Ashley got up and checked the bathroom but he wasn’t there either. Listening, the house was quiet so she crept into the living room and went to check on Jas but her bed was empty. 

“Shane? Jas? Are you in here?” she called out, checking the rest of the house to find she was alone. Panic tried to set in but she kept her wits about her. 

“Where are they?” Ashley asked aloud, going back to the bedside table for her phone to text Shane: ‘Where are you guys?’

She stared at her phone for a moment before pulling up Marnie’s number: ‘Are Shane and Jas at the ranch with you?’

When no one answered her texts, the panic took hold of Ashley so she slipped on her shoes, grabbed her key and headed out the door. As soon as she stepped out into the porch the burning stench of flesh stung her nostrils causing her to stop. It was so strong it made her eyes water...no, it wasn’t the smell but from smoke…from a fire...but why was there a raging bonfire on their farm? 

Ashley covered her nose with her sleeve and started down the stairs, following the billows of black smoke emanating from the back of the farm nearest the ranch. She coughed and gagged as she made her way along, a feeling of dread shrouding her in a thick mist. When she neared the source, a black figure stood in the middle of the path in front of the bonfire, presumably waiting for her. 

“It’s a perfect night for a bonfire,” Eric said with a menacingly toothy grin as Ashley neared. 

She had to blink the tears out of her eyes to see him. He wore a black suit with a black tie. A dark purple rose was pinned to the front of his suit jacket, lined in a deep red and he was leaning on a cane. Eric looked like he was going to a wedding and there was something absolutely sinister about this whole scene.

Ashley lowered her arm enough to speak, “What the fuck are you doing on my farm, Eric? And what is that smell?” she yelled angrily at him, eyes starting to water again as the smoke followed her.

Eric came closer and Ashley noticed the object in his hand wasn’t a cane but a shovel...a shovel that had recently been used by the look of fresh dirt still clinging to the metal.

“This is a funeral pyre for the last of your loved ones. Consider it a wedding gift,” Eric said magnanimously as he watched Ashley figure out his meaning. His black eyes stared at her like black holes, devoid of any light or life.

She looked at the burning pit in front of her to find three oddly-shaped lumps on pikes burning brightly. When she realized there were two large and one small… a child-sized lump...it hit her that they were heads. _The last of your loved ones…Oh, Yoba! No!_


	24. *Unbroken Vows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric continues to plague Shane and Ashley, messing with their wedding plans…again. But have things gone too far this time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence and attempted rape.

Ashley stumbled backward a few steps before doubling over, gagging now that she knew where the smell came from. The vomit burned her throat as it came out, already raw from inhaling smoke and she cried loudly. Her Shane...Jas and Marnie...The only people she cared about in the whole world...murdered by her fucking lunatic ex boyfriend. 

Eric dropped the shovel to the ground and wiped his hands as he walked toward Ashley. “My dear, Ashley. Now there is truly no one but us. I promised I would take care of you and now I can, without worrying about anyone interfering with our love,” he said soothingly as squatted on the ground next to her. 

When Eric tried to touch Ashley, she jerked away from him and scrambled back, tripping on her long black dress. “Don’t you touch me, you psychotic  _ fuck _ . I’ll never forgive you and I’ll never love you,” she tried to scream the words but they came out choked and broken because of how badly her throat was stripped. 

“Tsk, tsk. Don’t be like that, Ashley, and don’t go messing about the ground like that. You’re going to ruin your wedding dress,” Eric said as he walked over and tried to help her up.

As soon as he got close, Ashley kicked him right in the stomach as hard as she could. Eric doubled over, coughing violently so she scrambled for the shovel while he was busy but wasn’t fast enough. Somehow he managed to stumble over to it quickly, kicking it out of her reach.

“Oh, Ashley. I do love how feisty you’ve become! Damn, you’re going to be fun to break,” Eric laughed as he stood back up and sauntered over to her. Grabbing her by the arms, he jerked Ashley to her feet and tried to kiss her but she spat in his face.

Tossing her back to the ground, the back of Ashley’s head bounced on a rock causing her eyesight to double and she started seeing little tiny dots of light. Eric wiped the spit from his face with his suit jacket sleeve and leaned down to pick her back up. She was dizzy and felt a warm trickle at the back of her head but he held her so tight now that she couldn’t fight her way out of it. The pain at the back of her head was worsening. It made her so weak Ashley wasn’t sure she could get away if she tried…

“I was hoping to avoid such an overreaction. After all I have done for you I thought you’d be grateful but I see we’re going to have to work on that,” Eric said, tying Ashley to a chair next to the bonfire. 

He then took a black metal band out of his suit pocket, placed it on her ring finger and slid an identical one on his ring finger. “There, by the power vested in me by the old gods and the universe, we are now man and wife. I shall kiss my bride,” Eric said as he leaned in, placing his hands on either side of her head and kissed Ashley despite her efforts to move her face away. 

The back of her head started throbbing and she felt dizzy. Her stomach started rolling again and vomit spewed from her mouth about the same time Eric jumped back, just barely dodging the bits that came out.

“You’re unpredictable, just like the chaos that flows around us now,” Eric said, throwing his arms up and turning around in a circle as if to call upon the ancient gods of old. His gaze settled on her, intense blackness closing in on them, “See, Ash? We have always been meant for each other. And, now, my beautiful bride, we will consecrate this union.”

He untied Ashley, gently laid her on the ground and started unfastening his pants. She started to sob and wanted to move but she was paralyzed from the blood loss and a possible concussion. As Eric pulled up her dress and came closer everything grew darker. There was no one to help her now… not even Yoba…

Eric came closer, spreading Ashley’s legs apart and getting into position as the tears fell down her cheeks. His long fingers thrust inside her like sharp knives cutting her open to get her ready to receive him.

In the distance Ashley heard a voice calling her name. She closed her eyes and willed Shane back to life, calling out his name, “Shane!” 

“Ashley, wake up!” Eric said to her just before she opened her eyes to find Shane looking down at her. 

He was completely terrified at the screaming and crying Ashley that had been thrashing about on the floor. Shane had woken to find her kicking and flailing so hard that she fell out of the bed, hitting the back of her head on the wood floor. He had tried gently shaking her but it wasn’t until she called out his name that he was able to finally wake her. 

As soon as Ashley realized Shane was right there, she flung her arms around him and cried uncontrollably, “Thank, Yoba, you’re not dead!”

Shane soothed her by rocking her gently, “You were having a really bad nightmare, Ash, but I’ve got you now. I’m not going anywhere.” He had never seen a nightmare like that before. It worried him enough that Shane considered calling Dr. Burke.

Ashley continued sobbing a long while in Shane’s arms before thinking to check the back of her head. Her fingers gingerly touched where she had split her head open in her nightmare but there was just a small bump protruding. 

“You fell off the bed after fighting what looked like a ghost, Ash. Bumped your head but I don’t think it’s bad,” Shane explained quietly when he noticed her feeling the back of her head.

She frowned at Shane, “It was Eric...in my nightmare...Jas...Is Jas okay? Please, we need to check on her.” Ashley stood up too quickly, falling over but Shane caught her and they went to Jas’s room to find her sleeping soundly in her bed. 

Ashley breathed a sigh of relief with shuddering breath as Shane led her to the dining table, “C’mon, Ash. I’ll make us some coffee and you can tell me about your nightmare. I don’t think either of us will be able to go back to sleep anyways.”

Taking a seat, Ashley pulled her feet up off the ground and wrapped her arms around her legs. Her gaze went outside to where the bonfire had blazed in the middle of the farm but it was all dark. No fire, no Eric, no burning heads on pikes. It had felt so real that Ashley could almost still smell the smoke.

Shane brought two cups of coffee over and took the seat next to Ashley. He rubbed her arm and petted her head, trying to comfort her the best way he knew how. “Now, tell me about this nightmare,” he said quietly.

As Ashley spoke, Shane listened intently, silently sipping on his coffee and keeping one hand on Ashley at all times. He wished there was something he could do to make Eric leave them alone but dreams weren’t evidence of harassment. By the time Ashley finished retelling the horrible dream, the night sky had brightened as the sun rose and they heard their six o’clock alarms going off. 

Shane jumped up. “I’ll get them. Don’t want to wake Jas yet,” he whispered as he rushed across the floor in his t-shirt and shorts. 

Ashley felt better getting it off her chest but she couldn’t help keeping her eyes on Shane the whole time. After how vivid her nightmare had seemed, she was afraid she would wake again to find her nightmare was actually the reality. When Shane came back with their phones, his hair was sticking up all over the place, making him even more endearing. Ashley had to stand up and fix it with her fingers when he sat back down. 

“You look cute with your hair all messy like this but I need an excuse to play with it,” Ashley smiled. Shane could tell her dream still bothered her by the way she forced her smile. 

Placing his hands on her hips, Shane returned her smile, “You don’t need an excuse to play with my hair. Whatever makes you happy.” He watched her eyes as she straightened his unkempt locks, seeing the fear and dread shrink away until it was finally gone. “Better?” he asked when she smiled normally at him.

Stealing a quick kiss, Ashley replied, “Better.” Shane hugged her tightly and felt her cling to him as if he would disappear. 

Hearing her dream was bad enough but actually having experienced it must have been terrifying. If only they could catch some kind of a break. All this stress was emotionally draining and there was no sign of it going away. Maybe, just maybe, they could get through the next two days in one piece. Maybe they’d have enough luck between them to get through the wedding without much of a hitch but their luck hadn’t been so reliable in the past.

After eating a quiet breakfast, they all went outside, completing all the chores an hour earlier than expected with Jas’s help. Ashley rewarded her with a tiny bit of chocolate ice cream and strawberry topping before they dropped her off at Marnie’s. Jas ran ahead of Shane and Ashley on the dirt path, hopefully running off some of the sugar they had dosed her with. It would have been difficult for Ashley to walk through the middle of the garden if Shane hadn’t kept her mind off of it talking about the Spirit’s Eve celebration and the golden pumpkin that was hidden in the middle of the maze.

“If we find it, we can sell it for savings or keep it for a rainy day when we need the cash. That weird guy in the tower west of Marnie’s built the maze. He said he’s some kind of wizard but I dunno about all that,” Shane mused. He really didn’t care either way but it was something to talk about, to keep Ashley from thinking about her nightmare. 

Ashley smiled and shook her head, “Yeah, I’ve never met many wizards so I wonder if it’s, like, part of a title or something: The Maze Wizard or Chess Wizard.” She giggled at the foolish idea of magic and all things supernatural. “I don’t believe in magic but I guess I kinda believe in a higher power, a creator of all this...Yoba...because that’s how my parents were raised,” she professed, keeping a close eye on Jas, who was chasing a butterfly from weed to weed.

“I’m more of a solid evidence kinda guy but I’m like you. We had to come from something and Yoba is what most of my family believes in. I mean, I pray to him sometimes but not, like, all the time and I don’t go to church,” Shane admitted.

Ashley squeezed his hand when she noticed they were nearing the ranch and she hadn’t had an anxiety attack. “Thanks for keeping my mind off of things,” she said, snuggling up to Shane. 

Shane smiled warmly at her before stopping long enough to steal a kiss, “Anytime, beautiful.”

They saw the ranch door open and Marnie stepped out to hug Jas. “Hey! There’s my punkin’! How was your sleepover?” she asked her little great-niece before setting her back down.

Jas skipped around Marnie in circles, “It was fun! My favorite is grilled cheese and tomato soup now. Aunt Ashley can teach you how to make it! I ate a lot ‘cause I’m a growing girl.” She stopped skipping around to show Marnie her muscles, “See?”

Marnie laughed happily, “Well, good. Now say goodbye to your aunt and uncle. They’re supposed to meet Miss Emily soon.” Jas came over for hugs and kisses while Marnie added, “We’ll see you two this afternoon to set up the tents, right?”

Shane nodded, “Yep. We’re going to Lewis’s after Emily’s to rehearse our vows and then we’ll be back here with lunch to help.” Ashley waited for Shane to finish before nodding in agreement.

Marnie rolled up her sleeves before clapping her hands together, “Great! You two better get a move on. Hopefully we can beat the rain today.” She shooed them off and headed back inside with Jas.

At Emily’s house, she greeted them with hugs, “Hey, you two! I’m so excited for you guys! You know, Gus and I had a bet going to see how long it would take for you two to start dating...I lost. Tee-hee! Shane is a tough nut to crack!” 

Ashley didn’t want to be rude so she nervously giggled with Emily, “Yeah, he sure is.” Shane rolled his eyes in reply.

Looking at both and not missing a beat, Emily exclaimed, “Alright! Let’s get the final fittings done so I can get started.” She brought out Shane’s tuxedo and Ashley’s dress, hanging them on the front of a changing screen that had been popped up in the living room. 

“Shane, you first,” Emily directed, turning back to Ashley, “Ashley, we’ll get your veil straightened out while Shane is changing. Do you know how you’re going to wear your hair tomorrow?”

Ashley smiled and took her phone out of her back pocket. She scrolled through the pictures to find the hairstyle she’d picked weeks ago, “This way. I’ve practiced a couple of times at home and it’s pretty close.”

“M-hmm, that’s a really good look for you. Haley can help you with your hair and makeup if you need,” Emily offered as she put the veil on Ashley’s head and fluffed it out to make sure the lengths and draping were good.

Ashley reached up and touched her face, “Can Haley cover this up? We’re trying everything to forget about what my crazy ex did and the last thing we want is to have his signature in all our wedding pictures.” 

Emily nodded sympathetically, “Absolutely, hon. Haley can do amazing things with makeup and you’ll be beautiful.” She pet Ashley’s head like she used to pet her sister’s head when she was upset and added in a quiet voice, “My offer still stands. If you ever need to talk to someone about it, I promise to listen and give advice only if asked.” 

Ashley smiled at the sweet woman and realized she and Emily could easily become good friends. “Thanks, Emily, I appreciate it. One day soon we’ll have tea and talk, okay?” she said and hugged her.

Shane stepped out from behind the changing screen and Ashley’s heart stuck in her throat at how handsome he looked. He was looking down at the buttons, making sure they were lined up correctly and didn’t notice the look of awe and admiration on the girls’ faces.

“I think it fits alright. It’s the cummerbund I’m not sure about,” Shane started until he looked up and saw the look on their faces, especially on Ashley’s. He started blushing and tried to bring their attention back to the tuxedo, “The pants are good, I think…”

Emily was grinning ear-to-ear as she fussed over him, “Yep, this looks good here...I’ll take it in a little there and, Ashley, the backside looks good, right?” She flipped the tails of his jacket up for Ashley to get a good look.

Her face was beet red, “Yup. Looks real good, um, I mean, the fit is real good. What’s next?” Ashley could feel the heat emanating from her face as she was blushing so brightly. When Shane caught sight of it, he gave her an amused half-smile.

Emily jotted down a couple of measurements before taking the veil off of Ashley and, as soon as Shane was dressed in his regular clothes, sent Ashley behind the screen. “Shane, you’ll have to turn around when Ashley comes out. It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding,” she reminded him. 

A few minutes later, Ashley asked, “Emily, will you come help me zip the back, please?” She dodged in behind the screen quickly to help Ashley before popping back out to stand back, making sure Shane wasn’t peeking.

“Alright, Ashley, come on out,” Emily said excitedly, gasping lightly at the sight, “You look beautiful! There’s just a few places to take in but, otherwise, it’s perfect!”

Shane wasn’t trying to peek but he happened to look up at the round mirror on the wall and saw a little bit of Ashley in the white dress. It wasn’t big enough to see the whole thing but was enough to make his stomach tighten as it did a double flip.  _ We’re getting married Tuesday _ , he thought as the reality of it sunk in. After months of Ashley trying to interest him and his resisting her charms, after their very short and fractured courtship, they were finally going to be joined together as one in less than two days. Shane had never felt giddy in his entire life but he was now. 

He stared at the small and unclear reflection in the mirror, smiling dumbly to himself as Emily took her measurements and helped Ashley behind the screen to unzip. Waiting in a clouded stupor, Shane felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ashley smiling at him. She was back in her normal clothes but the glow remained.

“Emily has everything she needs so we’re good to head out now,” Ashley said quietly as she reveled in the wonder of their fast approaching wedding. 

Shane took her hand and kissed the back of it before they headed out, thanking Emily for her help. She waved goodbye with a mouthful of pins and a focused look in her eyes. They were both in a daze as they stepped over to Mayor Lewis’s house, catching a few people on the way who wanted to say hello and that they’d see them Tuesday. At Mayor Lewis’s it was very much the same. Everything about reciting their vows as they rehearsed seemed so surreal that they had barely heard the mayor speaking to them.

Lewis cleared his throat loudly, “Did you hear me? We’re all good on this end.” He watched the couple snap out of their daydream.

Shane spoke first though unable to look away from Ashley, “Sorry, yes. We’ve got it, right, Ash?”

“Yes, we’re good. Thank you, Mayor Lewis,” she replied with a smile. 

Mayor Lewis threw his hands up, smiling, and ushered them out the door. “Young love,” he said, shaking his head and chuckling.

They almost forgot to stop by Gus’s to pick up lunch and had to double back just before Emily’s house. It was fun for the townspeople to see the two lovebirds out and about. They’d pretty much kept to themselves and this was the first glance many of them had. They soon understood why their courtship was so fast: the two had fallen hard for each other. It was clear to anyone with eyes that could see that these two were a perfect match.

Once back at the ranch, the first sign of rain showed when a light drizzle fell from the overcast skies while eating their quick lunch of sandwiches and chips. Finishing their food quickly, they were able to get the tents up before the bottom fell out. Shane had just driven the last stake into the ground when a soaking rain fell for about fifteen minutes before moving off toward the beach. Fortunately, there hadn’t been any rain in weeks so the rainwater soaked into the ground pretty quickly and they were able to get the tables and chairs set up. 

The lights went up around the inside edges of the tent when they were pretty sure the worst of the rain had come and gone. Marnie left the tablecloths and tabletop flower arrangements off to put out first thing Tuesday morning. With everything done that they had planned to do today, the four sat at the dining table eating leftover sandwiches and whatever else was in the fridge that needed to be eaten to make room for leftover wedding food.

“You two look exhausted. Best better be gettin’ on to bed. Tomorrow is the last push before the big day,” Marnie said with a tired grin when they made it back to the kitchen after tucking Jas in. Shane let out a huge yawn followed by Ashley’s big yawn. 

“Yeah, and it’s been a long day,” Shane answered, scratching his head. He didn’t want to alarm Marnie by mentioning Ashley’s nightmare, nor did he want to remind Ash of it, hoping she could get some rest tonight.

Ashley gave Marnie a tight hug, “Thank you so much, Marnie, for everything. We couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

Marnie smiled, “Chickadee, it has been my pleasure. I’m glad you’ve brought so much love to this family and making my nephew the happiest I’ve ever seen him outside of watching the Tunneler’s win a gridball match.” She chuckled and let Ashley go to see her straight on, “I thank Yoba every day for bringing you both here.”

Shane had to get a hug in, “Thank you, Aunt Marnie. Love you.” He held his aunt tight. She was the closest thing he had to a mother besides Margaret Panitelli.

Marnie sniffled, “I love you, too, Shane. Now, get going and get some sleep. I’ll see you two tomorrow.” She patted him on the back and let him go to wipe her eyes.

The walk to the farm was a slow one as Ashley and Shane were practically pulling each other along. “Should we shower tonight or wait for the morning? I’m so sleepy...” Ashley asked, yawning again.

Shane stifled his yawn to answer, “I’m gonna shower tonight so I can sleep in an extra ten minutes.”

Ashley giggled, “You’re cute. You can go first and I’ll take mine after.”

It nearly took them twice as long to make the walk to the farmhouse and, once inside, they locked up and went straight to the bedroom. Shane forgot to get his pajamas before getting in the shower and had to come past Ashley. Her eyes followed him around the room, admiring his muscled physique and wishing they had any energy to spare at all. Even when she went to the bathroom with her pajamas, she watched the muscles on Shane’s back ripple as he stepped into his bottoms. He turned to put his shirt on and noticed Ashley watching him with a smile and returned it. 

“Tomorrow. I promise we’ll make tonight up,” Shane said in his tired sultry voice before pulling on his t-shirt, the outline of his pectoral muscles showing through. 

Ashley gave him a smile as she undressed. “Until tomorrow, then,” she teased, seeing the same wish to be together in Shane’s eyes before stepping into the shower to quickly wash and rinse.

When Ashley finished, Shane was rinsing after brushing his teeth. He helped her towel off and held her naked body against him. “Tuesday I give you my last name and promise you all that I am for the rest of our lives,” he said before kissing her sweetly.

“I promise you all that I am for the rest of our lives and I look forward to creating our legacy in our children,” Ashley responded with a sweet kiss of her own.

\-----

Monday was a whirlwind of activity finishing the last of the flower arrangements, taking a few official engagement photos with Haley for their wedding album, and picking up Shane’s tuxedo. The feeling of excitement deep in their stomachs started to ease with each passing hour and by the end of the day, they were both ready for the ceremony to be over with.

Shane had tried to get a hold of Ashley’s Uncle Bill directly and through Keelie but he wasn’t returning any of his calls or emails. He had also been clear in his communications that Uncle Bill was welcome after the wedding if he wasn’t able to attend. Shane knew Ashley was already glad to have her sister there but she had really wanted Uncle Bill to be there, too. 

They sat at dinner with Marnie, Jas and Mayor Lewis to settle anything else before tomorrow. Lewis did ask them questions about the five days out of town and about Ashley’s picture in the paper so they answered honestly, wanting to keep peace with the community they were intending to be a part of.

“We hope everyone can be understanding and realize that, while we both messed up pretty bad, we have put all that behind us. We want to be a part of the town and raise our family here so that’s why we’re okay telling everyone what happened,” Ashley explained while Shane held her hand in support. He’d rather have her do most of the talking anyway, having suffered most out of the two of them.

Lewis smiled kindly, “Well, most of the townsfolk are aware and are supportive of you two. We’ve all been young and know how difficult relationships can be starting out. I’m glad you two are honest about it all.”

The Mayor stood, “Well, it’s about time I got going. Lots to do tomorrow. You two outta get some rest, too.” He patted Shane on the shoulder and started toward the door. 

Marnie smiled mischievously, “Enjoy getting rest while you can, you’re not going to have many more quiet nights by the look of things between you two.” She chuckled before standing to walk Lewis out.

Shane was blushing brightly despite his best efforts not to. “Welp, I think that’s our cue, too, Ash. Thanks, Aunt Marnie,” he said, standing up quickly and pulling Ashley up along with him. 

“Goodnight!” Ashley called out as Shane led her out the door and toward the farmhouse. 

The last time Shane was super focused on getting to his destination, they had ended up having a quick love-making session before going to dinner at the Panitelli’s. Sure enough, Ashley saw how set Shane’s jaw was as they hurried along even when he glanced over to smile at her. They didn’t stop until they were at the door but Shane was quick to get his key out and unlocked the door. 

Shane locked the door behind them and went to the fireplace while Ashley went to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of apple cider to warm on the stovetop. She watched Shane put a couple of logs on the grate and crumple newspaper with kindling to start a nice fire before laying the blanket out on the floor in front of it.

“Whatcha doing?” Ashley said as she came up behind Shane and slipped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his back.

He stood watching the fireplace to make sure it caught fire before turning in her arms to face her. Shane put her hair behind her shoulders and smiled before cupping her face in his hands, “I’m getting ready to have a romantic night with my beautiful fiancee in front of the fireplace since it’s our last night before becoming husband and wife.” Bringing Ashley’s face to his, she looked into his intense green eyes before their lips connected in a deep and passionate kiss.

Ashley fell into Shane as his strong arms wrapped her up, feeling every inch of her body within reach. Her hand moved to Shane’s backside and gave it a squeeze that excited him enough that he made a noise and pulled back enough to speak.

“Slow down, my beautiful succubus. I want tonight to last,” Shane murmured into her mouth before sniffing the air, “Is that hot cider?” 

Ashley smiled and nodded, “I put some on to warm while you were building the fire. It seemed like a good idea at the time.” She looked up at the ceiling to ponder her decision.

“You, my dear, are perfect. Have I told you that?” Shane said as he rubbed noses with her, happy that she put on the cider. 

“You could stand to tell me more often and I’ll try not to let it go to my head,” Ashley joked back, stealing a kiss before heading to the kitchen. 

Shane wasn’t letting her off that easy. His hands were on her hips as they followed the sweet scent of apple, cinnamon, cloves and star anise to the kitchen. He planted tiny kisses all over her neck, shoulders and cheek as they went only stopping to help her pour the ladles of hot cider into the mugs.

They continued their playful kisses and exploration while the cider cooled and Shane started to unbutton Ashley’s jeans. When she started to unfasten Shane’s, he stopped her. “Not yet,” he whispered before putting his hand down her pants and working his fingers slowly. He wanted to make her go as many times as he could before they made love in front of the fireplace, knowing he would most likely go quickly. 

To get a better angle, Shane turned Ashley around backwards and continued to slide his fingers up and down her clit until she started panting harder and faster. When she leaned forward, Shane leaned with her, his other arm across her chest as he kissed her neck, holding her tight until her legs finally gave out when she came. Ashley’s mouth found Shane’s when she turned to kiss him feverishly, arms going up around his neck and fingers weaving in his hair. She breathed heavily when his hands went back down and he slid a finger inside to find her sweet spot. 

“Oh, shit, yes!” Ashley whispered in Shane’s ear once he found the right groove and she wet all over her underwear. He worked her clit with his thumb at the same time and she came harder, yelling out as her hips pulsed with heat.

Shane was enjoying himself, watching her reaction to his touch but found himself getting a little raw from where Ashley wriggled against him as hard as he’d gotten. 

“Are you ready for me? I’ve got to get these pants off,” he asked almost ashamed that he had wanted to stretch the night out longer. 

Ashley nodded quickly so they made their way through a barrage of kisses and undressed quickly once they were next to the fireplace. She took a moment to admire the muscular physique of her fiance as he stood erect in front of her. The fireplace behind him sent out hot waves of heat that made his dark violet hair dance and she moved up, eager to touch him. Placing her hands on his bare chest, Ashley felt the firmness under her calloused hands as she moved them across his shoulders and came down to feel his biceps. 

“You are so damn sexy that I want you all the time. Is that a bad thing?” Ashley asked in a sultry voice that matched his gaze as she rested her hands on his hips.

The smile on Shane’s face was answer enough but he said, “It is absolutely not a bad thing but you could stand to tell me more often. I promise I won’t let it go to my head.” 

His kiss was deep and intimate as he pressed Ashley’s naked body into his. He ached to be inside her so he guided Ashley to the blanket on her back with his kisses. Shane reached for the condom he’d laid on the fireplace hearth, rolled it on and looked into her eyes, sparkling in the firelight, before sliding inside. 

When Ashley gasped for air at his entry, he came down to kiss her neck while her back was arched. Shane kept a slow and steady pace, wanting her to go again before he would allow himself to. With the warmth from the fireplace, the smell and feel of Ashley and the setting, Shane felt it difficult to hold on. 

Nearing the peak of climaxing, Ashley noticed the strain on Shane’s face at the effort of holding back. “Shane, go with me, please,” she said between pants just before screaming as the pounding in her hips reverberated up her midsection, into her chest and caught in her throat. 

Shane moaned loudly as his climax matched hers. He was pumping his hips and went so hard he was afraid the condom would break under the force of his ejaculation.

As soon as they were done, Shane crumpled onto the blanket next to Ashley where she immediately drew him to her. They lay on the floor with Shane resting his head on Ashley’s chest. Her fingers played with his soft hair and she felt a contented sigh leave her lips.

When Shane heard this he shifted to prop up on his arms, looking down at this gorgeous woman that had captured his heart with her pure love. She smiled up at him with sleepy eyes, brushing his hair away to see his whole handsome face and cupping it. The stubble beneath her fingers made her tingle, remembering how it felt to have his face between her legs in the shower. 

“I love you,” Shane said simply before lowering his lips, brushing them against hers and then pressing them together. 

They kissed noisily for a moment before Ashley remembered the cider. “Mmm!” she said when her eyes popped open, “We forgot the cider! It’s probably cold by now.” 

Shane kissed her neck but made her giggle when he started blowing raspberries. “We better not waste good cider!” he exclaimed playfully, jumping up to help Ashley to her feet. 

He chased her screaming and laughing loudly to the kitchen, both of them still naked, as he pretended to pinch her and, when he finally caught her, slid his arms around her for more kisses. If they died tonight, Shane would be a happy man. Everything he never knew he needed was right here in his arms and he would be marrying her in twelve short hours. 

Ashley rested her forehead on Shane’s, “I love you so much. I’m glad we have fun like this.” She rocked with him and thought aloud, “You’re going to make a great dad one day.” 

Shane sighed, “With all this baby talk lately, we’re going to end up with, like, ten little Ashleys and Shanes running around this farm. I mean, seriously, how many kids are you wanting?”

Ashley smiled sweetly at Shane, “Two or ten, I don’t care. All I want is a simple life with you and Jas, here on our farm with our children and as many chickens as we can feed.” 

Shane laughed happily with his deep and smooth voice, sending chills all over Ashley’s body all the way to her soul. “You really are perfect. How did we ever get so lucky?” he asked, feeling the blood start rushing to his extremities.

“I dunno and I don’t care,” Ashley replied, shaking her head to ward off any jinxes, “Let’s warm up our ciders and get to bed. You’re gonna need as much rest as you can get now that I’m better.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively as he drowned her with his embrace.


	25. *Always, My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the day of the wedding and the couple finally get the break they’ve been looking for...

Sleeping like proverbial babies, Shane and Ashley awoke the next morning ready to take on whatever the day threw at them. They were getting married and there was nothing in the universe that could pull them apart. With butterflies in the stomach, they made their simple breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs with orange juice, the usual go-to in the household. As they quietly ate, the morning sun’s rays streamed through the windows, bathing them in a golden glow.

“That’s good luck, isn’t it?” Ashley asked Shane tentatively, nodding toward the sunbeams dancing across the table. It felt nice and warm...safe…

Shane shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno but it sure makes your hair look pretty,” he answered with a goofy grin that made Ashley smile.

“You’re so sweet,” she replied, placing her hand on his and leaning across the table for a peck, “Well, I’m counting it as good luck. Yoba knows we need all we can get.”

They had barely finished putting the dishes in the sink when Marnie texted them to head down. Emily and Haley were ready for Ashley to come over. They stepped out of the house with Shane carrying his polished shoes and Ashley carrying her makeup bag and heels.

“Here we go,” Ashley said nervously as they laced fingers and headed to Marnie’s. 

When they got to the ranch, Shane gave Ashley a goodbye kiss, “The next time we do this, it will be as man and wife.” He smiled and rested his forehead on hers, anxious for that moment.

Ashley sighed and smiled, “I love you. See you soon.” She slipped away, walking backwards a few steps to see her fiance for the last time. She blew him a kiss before turning forward and jogging to Emily’s house. 

Shane watched her jog out of view before stepping inside, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering again.  _ This is really happening... _

The next two hours were a flurry of changing clothes, brushing and styling hair, doing makeup, polishing shoes and straightening ties. When the Panitelli’s heard that Shane was at the ranch Tony and Vinnie stepped over to finish getting ready while Marge went to Emily’s to see how Ashley was doing.

“Mia bellissima bambina! The big day! How are the butterflies? Settling yet?” Marge asked with her motherly smile as she hugged Ashley and kissed her on each cheek.

She was relieved to see Marge amid the madness of getting made up. “They’re getting there. I’m just happy it’s finally here and will be glad to be done. I’m really looking forward to the reception, though,” Ashley admitted as Haley worked on her hair while Emily gave her a manicure.

Marge smiled and cupped her chin, “You will have a beautiful day. We brought some of your favorites, the rice balls you liked so much, for the reception. Shane said you ate quite a few at dinner the other week. He will be a good husband, I think. And you will make a good wife.” There was a twinkle in her eye that made Ashley blush just before Marge added quietly, “You two will make lots of beautiful babies.” She laughed heartily and patted her arm. 

“Yes, Shane will be a good husband and I will be the best wife I can be to him,” Ashley answered, leaving the babies part out because she didn’t know Emily and Haley well enough to talk like that. Plus, Haley’s young eyes were bugging out of her head as she mouthed ‘oh, Yoba!’.

Before Marge could say anything else, Emily’s front door opened and a young woman came in wearing a cute knee-length navy, floral print dress and her long, dark blonde hair in curls. Ashley smiled so big her face hurt, crying as she choked out, “Keelie?!”

“Hey, sis. Guess I found the right house. Uh, how are you?” Keelie asked nervously as she looked around the living room. She hadn’t seen her big sister since their parent’s funeral over a year ago but, even before then, their relationship had been strained. 

Forgetting that Haley had a hot iron in her hair, Ashley went to hug her little sister, yanking on it a moment before Haley let it loose with a huff. “I’m marrying my true love today and my little sister is here! I don’t think I can be any happier,” Ashley said as she hugged her. At first, Keelie seemed a little awkward but warmed up quickly at Ashley’s genuine cheerfulness. In all honesty, she had missed her big sister and it was clear she missed Keelie, too.

“Well, I couldn’t very well miss my big sister’s wedding,” Keelie answered, embarrassed that the rest of the family had nearly talked her out of it. “What happened to, uh…” she asked, putting her hand to her own cheek. 

“Eric Winters, but that’s the last I want to hear his name,” Ashley said before stepping back to look at her, “Well, I’m glad you’re here. This place, it’s given me a new purpose in life and I can’t wait for you to see grandpa’s old farm. You’re staying for the reception, right?”

Haley was tapping her foot impatiently, “Are we going to leave your hair half-done or what?”

Ashley apologized and went back over to Haley so she could finish, “Sorry, Haley. Where are my manners, Keelie! This is Haley and Emily, they’re the sisters that live here, and this is Mrs. Marge Panitelli. She’s like a second mom to Shane. Her husband, Tony, agreed to give me away in place of Uncle Bill.” 

The thought that one of the two people in her family she invited wouldn’t be here hurt her heart but she wouldn’t let that ruin her day. Keelie was here to witness Ashley’s change and marriage to her soulmate. 

Keelie looked around and smiled at the ladies, “Is this all the wedding party or are there more coming?” 

The question made Ashley’s smile wane but she regained composure quickly enough. “Well, the way weddings are done in Stardew Valley are different from the city so I don’t have any bridesmaids,” she responded with her most convincing smile. The truth is, none of her friends from high school or college were coming and her best friend was dead. Jarrod was supposed to stand-in for her and she was supposed to stand-in for his…

“I’ll be your maid of honor. We’re city gals, we gotta add our own thing,” Keelie said with a smile as Ashley started tearing up again. 

“That would mean a lot, Keelie. You have no idea…” Ashley answered, wiping her eyes.

Emily smiled sweetly at Ashley, “Now, dear, if you will turn off the waterworks, Haley and I can start on your makeup. You need to get into your dress soon or Marnie will skin all of us for being late!” She giggled harmoniously and got to prepping Ashley’s face. The bruise was a dark green and would still need quite a lot of layering.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Tony and Vinnie had stepped inside, greeted immediately by Jas. “Who are you?” she asked quizzically. There had been so many people coming in and out of the ranch today that she was used to seeing strangers now and had made a game of asking them their names.

Tony grabbed his heart, “Princess Jas! Your Uncle Shane didn’t tell me you’d grown so much! I’m your great Uncle Tony and this is your cousin Vinnie. May we please come in?”

Jas gave them a small smile and nodded once, “You may enter. Uncle Shane’s in his room in the kitchen.” She pointed in the direction of Marnie’s booming voice.

“Thank you, princess. And, might I say, your dress is very lovely!” Tony complimented her, getting a giggle from Jas.

The boys made their way toward the conversation and found Marnie just leaving Shane’s bedroom, almost bumping into Tony. “Oh, my goodness! You two are here just in time!” she exclaimed with relief, “Shane is a mess. He can’t get that damned cummerbund on the right way even though I’ve told him four times. Would you fellas, please?”

Tony laughed and put a hand on Marnie’s shoulder, “It’s good to see you, too, Marnie. We’ll get it sorted. C’mon, Vinnie.” They stepped past Marnie and into the room to find Shane standing in front of the mirror, near to tears. 

“This damn thing is stupid. I can’t get it on the right way now but I did it right by accident two days ago!” Shane said with a helpless look on his face.

Tony came up and took it from his hands while Vinnie pinned the flower onto his tuxedo jacket. “Calm down, son. A cummerbund isn’t gonna keep you from marrying Ashley,” he said calmly as he put the sash around Shane’s waist. 

“There! What’s next?” Tony asked, looking down at Shane’s bare feet, “Socks and shoes.”

Shane started laughing, “Yeah, I can't go barefoot down the aisle, can I? Tony, I feel like I’m going crazy. How is this so nerve racking?” 

The worried look on Shane’s face made Vinnie nervous, “I dunno but now  _ I’M _ nervous and I’m not the one getting married! Yeesh!” 

Tony came up behind Shane and put his hands on his shoulders, “Look in the mirror, son. Take a deep breath. Now, close your eyes and clear your mind as you slowly let all that air out. Think of your Ashley and let your feelings for her fill you up.” 

He watched Shane’s body relax slightly and a smile curl up at the corners of his mouth. “Now, open your eyes,” Tony instructed. 

Shane had been thinking of every happy moment with Ashley, starting with the first time he realized he thought she was pretty. He remembered the night she had dinner with them, their first kiss, the first time they made love and seeing her dressed up at the Passade. Lastly, he remembered their picnics, the moonlight walks on the farm, the way she giggled when she’s happy and pictures of their future they talked about so often since getting back. 

When Shane opened his eyes, all the nervousness was gone and he was finally calm. “Thanks, Tony. I just needed to put things in perspective,” he said with a grin. 

Marnie popped her head in after Shane was finished. “Hey, guy, we need to get y’all up to the square. Tony, you’ll wait outside Emily’s to escort Ashley in about twenty minutes,” she said with a huff, finding it difficult to breathe with everything going on. 

Shane’s stomach jumped at how close they were to the actual ceremony and he took one last glance in the mirror to make sure his hair was combed back still, bowtie straight and buttons even.  _ Here we go... _

The bunch left the ranch with Jas holding Marnie’s hand and a basket of flowers in the other. Shane had given the rings to Vinnie, who would stand in as Shane’s best man. As they passed Emily’s house, Shane caught a flash of white through the door when it opened and gulped. No matter how many times he pushed the nervousness down, it just kept coming back. 

Tony waved to Shane as Marge stepped out to talk excitedly. He caught a quick glance at Tony’s face light up upon seeing Ashley and gulped again. He didn’t have much time to think about anything when he rounded the house to see all the townsfolk turn to look, anxiously awaiting the first wedding in Pelican Town in over a decade. Shane did his best to be cordial and grin but his gut was pulling sideways and all ways as he neared the floral archway where Mayor Lewis stood. 

“Shane,” Lewis said, shaking his hand with a huge grin before turning to Vinnie. “Mr. Panitelli,” he also greeted.

“Oh, Mr. Panitelli is my pa, you can call me Vin,” he replied with his goofy grin while shaking the Mayor’s hand. 

The boys took their places and waited for the music to start. Mayor Lewis gave the go ahead after a quick headcount and the procession started. First came Marge Panitelli, who sat on the bride’s side followed by Keelie who smiled at Shane, blushed at Vinnie and made her way to stand next to the bride. Marnie was instructing Jas and left her to put out the flower petals while she came up the outside of the rows, down to the front to catch her. 

As soon as Jas was seated, the music changed and everyone stood for the bride’s march. Shane stretched his neck to see past the guests but couldn’t get a good view until they were at the back row. 

When Shane locked eyes with Ashley, time seemed to slow for a moment. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the smile behind her veil. His palms started to sweat, his knees grew weak and his face hurt from grinning.  _ Breathe... _

Ashley neared her handsome groom and couldn’t take her eyes off him for a second. Shane was clearly nervous but he looked even more handsome than the night they met at the Passade. His gorgeous green eyes were wet and intensely dark today, violet hair slicked back neatly and freshly shaven.

At the end of the aisle, Tony turned to Ashley and lifted her veil. He kissed her cheek and smiled. When Mayor Lewis asked who was giving her away, Tony replied and gave her hand to Shane. 

“Hey, handsome,” Ashley said quietly. Her eyes began to water but she had a perpetual smile on her face. Thankfully Haley had done an incredible job with her makeup or else it would be washed away. 

“Hi, beautiful. You look…gorgeous,” Shane said breathlessly, unable to take his eyes off of the woman he was about to marry. 

Mayor Lewis began the ceremony, “Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Alan Shane Rogers and Ashley Jean Webber in holy matrimony.”

“If there are any here that oppose this union, may you speak now or hold your peace…” Lewis continued, scanning the crowd briefly before quickly continuing, “Good. Now, Shane, do you take Ashley as your wife, swearing to honor and love her for all the days of your life, rich or poor, sick or well, until you rest in Yoba’s arms?”

Shane gazed into Ashley’s beautiful chocolate eyes, “I do.”

Mayor Lewis turned to Ashley and continued, “Ashley, do you take Shane as your husband, swearing to honor and love him for all the days of your life, rich or poor, sick or well, until you rest in Yoba’s arms?”

Ashley smiled sweetly, entranced by Shane’s emerald eyes, “I do.”

Mayor Lewis closed his book, “Since Ashley and Shane are from the city, they will also be exchanging rings to signify their marriage in addition to the Mermaid’s pendant.”

At that, Vinnie took his cue and handed the rings to Lewis, who handed the first band to Shane. Ashley turned to give her bouquet to Keelie, both smiling happily at each other.

Shane took Ashley’s hand in his and slid the wedding band on her finger, “Ashley Webber, may this ring be a symbol of my eternal love for you.” He slipped the engagement ring back on her finger and kissed her hand. 

Ashley took the band from Mayor Lewis, held Shane’s hand and slipped on his wedding band, “Shane Rogers, may this ring be a symbol of my eternal love for you.”

At that, Mayor Lewis raised his hands and said, “By the power vested in me as Mayor of Pelican Town and by witness of all of you here in the eyes of Yoba, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss…”

Shane immediately reached for Ashley, eager to seal the promise between them and kissed her so sweetly that her head was cloudy. They rested their foreheads together a moment before heading down the aisle hand in hand. Vinnie offered Keelie his arm and took up the march behind them. 

Once the excited chatter had settled, the bachelorettes stood to catch the bouquet. Ashley kissed Shane before stepping over and turning her back to the ladies. 

“One, two, three!” Ashley exclaimed as the bouquet flew from her hands. She turned to watch it soar through the air right into Marnie’s hands. 

“Shit,” Marnie cursed under her breath and handed the bouquet off to Emily, who was standing next to her. 

Emily took it with a smile but replied quietly, “That’s not the way it works, dear.” 

Afterwards, Mayor Lewis ushered the crowd out to the ranch for the reception. The bride and groom stayed behind with their small family for Haley to take a few pictures before they joined everyone. At first they took serious pictures but Shane quickly lost his patience and started making goofy faces or kissing Ashley. Vinnie wasn’t any better, wanting to show off for Keelie. Ashley thought Haley would be upset but she was smiling during the session despite their goofing off. 

Once Haley was pleased with the photos, she dismissed them and rushed off to photograph the reception. Ashley decided to formally introduce Keelie to everyone before they went. 

“And, everyone, this is my sister Keelie,” Ashley introduced, giving her little sister a big hug. “I’m so glad you came! We have so much catching up to do,” she said, pulling back to smile at Keelie.

Her sister returned her smile, “Yeah, I mean, a lot has happened, obvi. We have time, just, let's go eat. I’m starved and the food smells, like, really good.”

Vinnie turned to Keelie and smiled. “I’ll show you the good stuff, just save some of the rice balls for your sister,” he said, offering her his arm again and casting a goofy grin at Ashley before they headed off.

Shane reached out for Ashley’s hands and pulled her to him for a quick kiss, “Come on, Mrs. Rogers. Marnie’s gonna flail us if we don’t get out to the ranch.” 

The reception turned out to be a blast. There was so much good food that Ashley and Shane felt like they wouldn’t have to eat for days. Gus and Tony talked excitedly about food and their respectable restaurants while Marge and Marnie watched Jas and Vincent play, discussing Shane and Ashley’s future children and who they were going to favor more. Keelie and Vinnie really hit it off, spending half of the day talking, eating and dancing when they weren’t hanging out with Shane and Ashley or mingling with the townies. 

Slowly, the townsfolk went home leaving the family, Gus and Emily to put away the rest of the food. Most of the leftovers went in Marnie’s extra refrigerator or chest freezer in the barn. Gus and Tony exchanged numbers before he left with the rest of the food to put in the Saloon with Emily’s help. The Panitelli’s and Keelie were last to leave so they all walked up to the farm together, Jas holding Tony and Marge’s hands as they chatted with Marnie. 

Shane and Ashley gave everyone the unofficial tour of the farm and the house, letting Jas show off ‘her’ Fairy Flower garden and the bedroom Aunt Ashley had built and painted herself. As the sun began to set, everyone went out to the vehicles to say their goodbyes. Ashley and Shane invited Keelie to come spend a weekend with them soon so they could catch up. While the Panitelli’s were saying their goodbyes, Vinnie and Keelie exchanged numbers.

“Before we go, we brought these with us,” Tony said, bringing out the pillow and glass rose Shane had left. 

“Thanks, Tony,” Shane said, taking them from his hands and giving them to Ashley.

She teared up at seeing them and remembering her lost poem. “It’s too bad I lost the poem you wrote me,” Ashley said with a sniffle as she read the inscription on the pillow and let out a chuckle, “Hopefully we won’t need this anytime soon.”

Ashley, Shane, Marnie and Jas waved goodbye while the vehicles drove away from the farm. As soon as the taillights disappeared, Marnie and Jas said goodnight and headed to the ranch.

Once they were finally alone, Shane slid his arms around Ashley’s waist, kissing her gently before lifting her up in his arms and carrying her to the house, up the stairs, and over the threshold. Ashley kicked the door shut behind them and Shane locked it before easing her back down. He held Ashley for a moment before kissing his wife’s lips tenderly and slipping his hand up her back to unzip her wedding dress. When the zipper stopped, Shane leaned back to slip the dress off of Ashley’s shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She was so beautiful. He loved every curve of her body and the feel of her soft, round breasts. 

Holding out a hand, Shane helped Ashley step away from her dress. He shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket while Ashley removed the cummerbund, dropping it to the floor with her dress. She smiled, unbuttoning Shane’s dress shirt while he gazed into her eyes. At the sight of seeing skin Ashley leaned in to kiss his chest, tickled by the small patch of dark hair that ran to his belly button. Her hands moved across Shane’s chest and up over his shoulders to slide the shirt off. Shane shrugged it loose and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her bare skin against his. 

Kissing her intimately, Shane loosened her bra and pulled it away making Ashley smile into their kiss. Her soft tongue played with his, causing him to make a little noise while her hands moved from his back to squeeze his ass. The little noise quickly turned into a light moan. 

They weren’t in any hurry tonight. Every other time they had made love, it had always been short. Amazing, yes, but this was going to be different. Last night they had decided to do away with condoms after the wedding. At first Shane was worried about not being able to last as long without having that buffer between them but he wanted to feel everything with Ashley. She had reassured him that they would have all night and as long as they wanted the day after to keep their wedding night going. 

“Quality over quantity tonight,” Shane pulled back to say, moving his kisses down to Ashley’s neck. 

“Always, my love,” Ashley breathed, enjoying the feel of Shane’s lips as he continued them to her breasts. 

Ashley gasped when he took one breast in his mouth, sucking as his tongue went around her nipple. She pressed her thighs together when she felt herself getting wet. As she wriggled, the heat in her pelvis increased and grew as he worked. 

Shane stopped long enough to say, “Help me with my pants,” before he was giving her other breast attention, licking and nibbling lightly as he massaged her ass with his hands. 

Ashley helped him out of his pants and saw how hard he was. Seeing the tip showing over the band of his boxer briefs, she whimpered with the need to have him inside her. 

Helping him out of them, she brushed the head and Shane shuddered at her touch, “Careful. Don’t touch the tip or I’ll go quicker. I want to feel all of you as deep as I can get. I want to fill you up so hard your hips hurt.”

“We need to get to the bedroom then,” Ashley crooned. She enjoyed the pillow talk but she ached so bad to feel all of him. Feeling a warmth running down her leg, she removed her soaked panties and moved Shane’s hand from her rear to in between her legs. The second he touched her, Ashley came hard, hugging Shane to keep from falling down it was so intense. 

“Holy, fuck, Ash,” Shane whispered as he brought his hand away, dripping wet. 

When he looked at Ashley his eyes met her sultry chocolate gaze, full of desire. His chest heaved with the need to feel how wet she was and he kissed her mouth, hard and hungry, losing all control.

Ashley moaned into Shane as he lifted her up to straddle him. He wouldn’t enter, not until they were in their bed but the warm wetness between Ashley’s legs that surrounded him, slipping up and down his shaft, was so intense that he was struggling.

“I’m not gonna make it,” Shane whispered into her mouth, his brows scrunched up. No matter how hard he tried to take his time it was never enough. He was too damned eager to be with Ashley that he always went too early.

Without hesitation, Ashley hoisted herself up using Shane’s shoulders for leverage and slipped him in. He was so thick and hard but glided in so easily that both of them moaned loudly. Shane wasn’t ready for how intense the feeling would be and had to cling to Ashley to keep from going immediately but it was too late. Ashley was already on the verge of going and squeezed him with her climax, causing Shane to explode. They screamed with ecstasy as the pulsing heat from their joint orgasm locked them in a euphoria that covered every inch of their skin. 

Shane managed to take a few steps toward the living room where they collapsed on the couch to cuddle. As he started to soften, Ashley still straddled him, laying on his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

“I’m sorry that was so fast, Ash. I hoped we could make it last,” he apologized, kissing her head and caressing her back.

Ashley smiled up at him with her drunken gaze, completely content. “No regrets, my love. You always give one hundred percent of yourself to me and that makes being with you so intoxicating,” she said with a kiss.

Shane smiled at his understanding wife with such admiration that he felt he could swallow her up with his whole body and wanted to. He wrapped her up completely and just hugged her to him, letting the warmth of their skin to skin contact envelope him completely. Despite Shane’s inability to prolong the act, as long as Ashley was happy, so was he. 

“Want me to heat some cider up soon?” Ashley asked, enjoying Shane’s totally encompassing hug. 

Shane gave her a squeeze and sat up with her still in arms, her legs wrapped around his waist. “I’d like that,” he replied before getting another kiss. It’s like he couldn’t stop tasting this woman. She tasted so sweet... everywhere.

Ashley smiled as she felt Shane start to slowly harden again. “I didn’t realize hot cider got you in the mood,” she joked, rubbing noses with him before kissing his cheek and hugging him again. 

Shane nuzzled in her neck before brushing his lips against her ear and murmured, “It’s not the cider. I’m thinking about how good you taste and how I can’t seem to keep my lips off of your body.” 

He sucked on her earlobe before moving his kisses down her neck, leaning her back down on the couch. Shane continued his kisses down the center of her body, kissing all the way down between her legs. As soon as his tongue went over her folds, Ashley’s fingers wove into his hair as she thrust her head back, gasping as the heat began to build again. The taste of not only Ashley’s sweetness but his own semen leaking out caused Shane to harden almost immediately. 

Ashley’s hips moved along with him as he worked, his thick fingers plunging inside her to find a groove that brought her panting hard. After she came, Shane slid inside in hopes to keep it going.  _ Fuck, she feels amazing, _ he thought. This time, Shane was able to take his time, kissing Ashley deeply so she could taste them both. Shane kept going, pumping his hips in time, gliding in and out of her wetness to feel as much of her as he could. He went deeper, harder until he went again near the end of her climax and filled her up like he promised. 

“Oh, fuck, Shane!” Ashley called out when she felt the explosion in her abdomen spill out through her entire body. She continued to scream out as the pulse intensified and her whole body covered with chills, hips aching with the forcefulness of their second orgasm. 

“Ashley,” Shane whispered as he felt a last tremor go through his body. 

She held him as he lay on top of her from the exertion, breathing in his cologne and the smell of their sex. Snuggling into Shane, Ashley combed her fingers through his dark violet locks and rubbed his back, tracing the lines of muscles underneath her fingers.

“I love you so much,” Ashley whispered into his hair.

Shane shifted the slightest bit to connect his lips with her neck, “I love you, too, my beautiful succubus.”


	26. *Ghosts of Spirit's Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane and Ashley get ready for the Spirit’s Eve Festival but when they get there, are confronted by a ghost in the flesh.

Shane woke first, looking down at Ashley’s naked body curled next to him. The mermaid pendant on her neck glinting in the morning light as the sun’s streams of light danced in the bedroom. He brushed her cheek lightly with his hand and brought his lips to hers. 

“Rise and shine,” Shane said quietly, listening to the little noise she made when she stretched. 

Ashley’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled, reaching out her arms to draw Shane closer. 

“Good morning, my handsome husband,” she murmured just before he kissed her again.

“I don’t know about you but I am starving,” Shane said as he nuzzled into her neck. 

He was trying to decide whether they should get up and eat now or stay in bed when Ashley ran her fingers through his hair. She gently pulled his head back to kiss his mouth. 

“After. I’m not ready to get up yet,” Ashley whispered, wanting to be with Shane every moment they could spare. With all the love-making, they were bound to end up pregnant sooner rather than later.

Shane was happy to oblige. Every moment he spent with Ashley was another good memory to replace a bad one. She was better than any anti-depressant; a constant reminder of all the changes he had made in the past two months to be better. Twenty minutes later, they lay curled up in bed with their limbs entwined. Ashley had her head laid on Shane’s chest while he rubbed circles on her back. Her head was starting to feel heavy from laying in bed all morning but she wouldn’t dare say anything; she didn’t have to. Shane’s stomach growled loudly, making Ashley giggle.

Shane complained jokingly, “See? I’m gonna die if we don’t eat soon.” He then proceeded to crawl toward the edge of the bed, pretending to die just before he made it, “I’ll always love you… my beautiful… succubus…”

Half of his weight was on her and she couldn’t get up for laughing. “Shane! If you die on me now you won’t get breakfast,” she warned. When he didn’t move, she tickled his ribs.

Shane wasn’t expecting Ashley to do that and laughed so hard, jerking to get away only to fall off the side of the bed with a hard thump. Mortified that he might be hurt, Ashley slipped out of bed and went to him. He was on his side, silently laughing so hard he shook. 

Ashley let out a relieved sigh. “Are you alright?” she asked with a chuckle, standing over him with her hands on her hips. 

Shane grinned up at her, “I’m okay. Help me up.” He put his hands up for her to grab.

Taking hold, Ashley helped him off the floor and was rewarded with a tender kiss. They got dressed and finished their morning routine before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. While they ate, Ashley smiled every time she caught Shane looking at his wedding band, which was often. 

“So, we get to spend our first day as proper husband and wife farmers,” Ashley said, grinning ear to ear at the thought.

Shane grinned happily at her, “Yep. And tonight we get to start our first Rogers Family tradition.” 

Draining the rest of his coffee, Shane stood up and grabbed a quick kiss before taking their dishes to the sink. They spent the rest of the day working the farm, casting glances at each other as they went along. Every break they took ended with an embrace so it took most of the morning and part of the afternoon to get everything done. 

Shane texted Marnie to let them know it was time for picking pumpkins to carve while Ashley put away the tools and got the buckets and bowls. Ten minutes later, Jas was running up the path toward them with Marnie lagging behind, a bag thrown over her shoulder.

“Uncle Shane! I wanna pick my pumpkin! Can I? Can I?” Jas called as she ran toward him.

“Hey, Jazzy Bear!” Shane exclaimed, scooping up his super excited niece, “Of course! We saved the pumpkins for last so we could get the best ones.” He winked and set her down to take Ashley’s hand while they waited on Marnie. 

“Heya, newlyweds!” Marnie chuckled happily, giving them hugs in turn, “Y’all ready to do this?”

Jas picked the largest pumpkin in the patch, of course, so Shane carried hers to the porch before the rest picked theirs. They used black crayons to draw their designs and gutted them, making sure to save the seeds to roast later. It took them the better part of an hour to get them all carved and, afterwards, stood back to admire their simple designs but nice work. Their first Rogers Family Pumpkin carving event was a success. Ashley took Jas inside to wash up while Shane and Marnie brought in the two big metal bowls of pumpkin seeds. 

“I know it’s barely been a day but the married life looks good on ya, kid,” Marnie commented, smiling at the changed young man before her.

Shane returned her smile, “The love of a good woman does that, I guess. I’m over the moon, Marnie. It’s nice to finally be able to relax and just move on, ya know. Simple life.”

Marnie nodded, “Yep. The simple life is the only way.” She waited until Ashley came back in the kitchen with Jas and asked loudly, “So, when can I expect a new niece or nephew to snuggle with? I do love that new baby smell.”

Ashley and Shane blushed so brightly that you could see them glow. Before either could answer, Jas’s face lit up with an ear to ear grin. 

“Aunt Ashley, are you and Uncle Shane gonna have a baby?” Jas asked excitedly. Her eyes sparkling at the thought since she and Vincent were the only kids in town. 

Ashley smiled sweetly, “Not yet, little love, but we hope to have a baby soon now that we’re married.” 

Shane came up behind Ashley to bury his red face in her hair. He couldn’t believe this conversation was going on right now. “Please change the subject,” he mumbled anxiously in her ear.

Jas’s face fell a moment but then she realized something, “Oh, you have to give each other lots of kisses first.” 

Ashley nodded, “Yep. Now, do you want sweet cinnamon roasted pumpkin seeds or do you want them to taste like popcorn?” She felt Shane’s hand in hers and a warmth swept over her. 

Jas, Shane and Marnie all wanted the sweet so Ashley set aside a smaller batch to make savory roasted seeds for herself and the rest were made with brown sugar and cinnamon. While the pumpkin seeds were roasting, Shane put on a pot of apple cider for everyone, adding the ingredients he remembered Ashley using. They chatted about the Spirit’s Eve celebration this weekend and what everyone was dressing up as. With everything going on, neither Shane nor Ashley had even thought about costumes. Marnie had already ordered Jas’s princess costume and got it Monday. 

Sending Marnie and Jas home with a container of seeds each, Shane and Ashley spent the rest of their evening cuddled up in front of the fireplace watching a scary movie and making out. Shane loved curling up with Ashley. The feel of her warm body against his and the smell of her lavender vanilla perfume was so relaxing he nearly fell asleep a couple of times. After the movie and an extra long joint shower, Shane slid into bed behind Ashley, holding her so tight she could barely breathe.

“I love you,” he whispered into her neck with a little kiss.

Ashley hugged his arms and whispered in return, “I love you, too,” as they drifted off to sleep.

\-----

It was the day of the Spirit’s Eve Festival and the town was busy setting up, giving Shane and Ashley time to get their costumes ready. In the end they had decided to go as a couple of zombies, Shane wearing his chicken shredded hoodie and Ashley wearing a torn shirt and jeans. They stood on the porch waiting on Marnie and Jas, who were making their way up the path. With how often they all went back and forth, the center path was starting to turn to mud. They would need to put gravel down soon... 

Jas twirled in her costume but stopped at seeing the two of them. “You’re too scary and gross. I don’t like it,” she said with a frown and hid behind Marnie’s legs. 

Marnie was dressed as a scarecrow and patted Jas on the head. “It’s alright, Jas, honey. Come on, let’s get this show on the road,” she said, already tired from the day’s preparations.

They walked out to town together and by the time they made it, Jas had relaxed enough to hold Shane’s hand at least. The streets were lit with expertly carved jack-o-lanterns and strings of orange, green and purple lights. Ghosts, bats, spiders and witches lined the streets along with hay bales but the cage full of walking skeletons was the creepiest by far. Ashley had heard rumors of skeletons roaming the deeper levels of the mines so she hadn’t bothered going yet. At seeing their dead, glowing eyes, she was glad she hadn’t.

Ashley took notice of Shane eyeing the pumpkin ale so they left Marnie and Jas to go around for candy and headed over. There was an impressive amount of fall-themed dishes laid out on the table that they sampled before getting a small cup each of the ale.

Shane held up his cup and Ashley dinked it before they sipped the drink. The pumpkin ale was delicious and sweet with a perfect amount of hops. Ashley immediately wished she could have another cup but they both knew better. Instead, they savored the flavor of what had now become Ashley’s favorite drink as well. 

“Yeah, add this to our new family tradition,” Ashley remarked as Shane gave her the ‘told you so’ look.

They walked the loop, talking to everyone, admiring the costumes and decorations while they sipped their drinks. Some of the better costumes they noted were the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, a really good Batman costume complete with utility belt and metal throwing bats, someone with their face professionally painted like a skeleton peeked out from their black hood, and another couple of zombies that took way more time and care into their costumes.

“Want to go in the maze? I bet we can find that golden pumpkin,” Shane said, raising his eyebrows as he grinned eerily from the makeup. 

Ashley smiled and nodded, “I love Halloween mazes.” This season had always been her favorite but this was her first with Shane, making it even more special.

They walked hand-in-hand toward the maze, greeting the townsfolk and posing for a couple of pictures as Haley made her way around. The first person they met was Maru, lost near the entrance looking for the way out. Ashley pointed the way before Shane pulled her on with a determined grin on his face. 

They passed by zombie hands clawing the ground they were stuck in and an odd-looking hut with a cauldron in front. Jas’s teacher, Penny, was entranced by whatever bubbly substance had been concocted in the black pot. An unplugged television screen was flashing curious pictures amid the static before they found Alex pacing back and forth in front of a wall of shrubs.

“There’s something on the other side of this wall…” Alex muttered as they passed, cupping his hands around his eyes to get a better look.

Around the next corner, they found a shivering Abigail standing next to the water fountain. “There’s spiders… I can’t…” she whispered with her eyes wide in fright.

Shane squeezed Ashley’s hand, “We’re getting close, I can feel it!” He looked over to see she was grinning ear to ear, holding onto Shane’s bicep with her other hand. 

They continued on past the huge spider and its babies and found Sam wandering the graveyard excitedly. “Hey, I could’ve sworn someone went ahead of me but there’s just a dead end…” he said to them, shaking his head. 

“We’re just gonna have a look,” Ashley smiled in reply as Shane pulled her onward. 

They rounded the next corner to find another wall. There was also a tree, carved jack O’lantern and a plain, wooden sign with a sloppy question mark drawn on it. 

Shane turned back to Ashley, “Huh…” He was sure they had gone the right way, there wasn’t really anywhere else to go. 

Ashley came forward and tried pushing through the walls. There had to be a trick somewhere… Shane watched as Ashley pushed against the wall next to the tree and disappeared. 

She popped her head back through half a second later with a huge grin, “You coming?”

Shane smiled and grabbed a quick kiss, “Let’s go.”

There was a dark pathway leading to an unlit cave entrance. Ashley almost stopped, knowing the dangers of the mines but Shane stepped in front of her, and squeezed her hand again. 

He looked at her with a mix of fear and excitement and coaxed, “I’ll go first, just don’t let go of my hand, alright?” 

When Ashley nodded her head, Shane smiled and they continued on, feeling their way through the dark passage. It seemed to go on forever until a faint glow showed them the end. With a firm grip on Shane, they emerged to find an eerie-looking wooden chest in the middle of a small clearing. The ground below the box appeared to be crawling with bugs or something, in this light they couldn’t tell. 

Shane took a tentative step forward and found solid footing. “It’s fake. Some kind of illusion,” he reassured Ashley before she stepped out. 

They made their way over to the chest and opened it on the count of three. Inside, they saw the golden pumpkin, glowing in the dim light of the maze.

Ashley looked at Shane and urged him, “Go ahead, lift it out.” 

The golden pumpkin was almost glittering, glowing from the inside as Shane lifted it out. It was warm to the touch and cast a soft, warm glow on his features. They used the light of the pumpkin to find their way back through the narrow tunnel and came out the other side of the fake wall. Ashley led the way to the graveyard, catching sight of a dark figure rounding the corner going away from them. For half a second, she paused as a cold shiver ran down her spine. Goosebumps covered her body but she shook her head and continued onward, looking back to make sure Shane was still right behind her. 

Past the spiders, Ashley came around to where the fountain was and saw the dark figure on the opposite side. It turned to look at her as it put the hood back, face painted like a skeleton, and placed their hands in their pockets. The thin, black frame was unmistakable combined with his black hair combed back and black eyes. Ashley stopped in her tracks and gasped. Eric smiled big and turned to leave just as Shane came up beside her. 

“Why’d we stop, Ash?” Shane started to ask but saw the color had drained from her painted face and her eyes wide with fright as though she had seen a ghost. 

It took Ashley a moment to compose herself but she took a deep breath and forced her eyes to look away from where the dark spectre stood. “Eric is here. He was just on the other side of the fountain and moved off,” she said shakily, pointing to where he had stood a moment ago. Her nightmare about Eric last week still shook her but seeing him here, in the flesh took the fight right out of her.

Shane’s eyes narrowed. There were a lot of people here tonight, not just the townsfolk so it was possible. “Are you sure it wasn’t Sebastian?” he asked, hoping that she had been mistaken. _Why can’t this fucker just leave us alone?_

“It was him. He’s the guy painted like a skeleton,” Ashley replied simply, her mind racing to figure out what to do if he confronted them directly. 

Shane shifted the pumpkin in his arms to hand it off to Ashley. “Here, take this and stay behind me. If he’s here for a fight, I’ll give him one. He’s got a few things coming,” he said, giving the pumpkin to her and rolling up his sleeves.

They made their way back through the maze without seeing anyone else until they were out. Shane scanned the crowds for any sign of the skeleton or Eric but there were still too many people. Ashley spotted Marnie and Jas talking to Jodi and Vincent over by a table.

“Maybe we should tell Marnie and go home. They’re over there,” Ashley pointed with her head. 

“I dunno, Ash. I don’t see him... he could be anywhere…” Shane said, starting to feel helpless until a dark figure came up behind them from the entrance of the maze. 

Eric stepped out of the shadows, looking briefly at Shane before his gaze settled on Ashley. There was a want in his eyes darkened by regret. “Hello, Shane… Ashley... Can we speak privately? I promise we’ll only talk.”

“Anything you need to say to my wife, you can say to me,” Shane said, adding emphasis to the word ‘wife’.

Eric lowered his gaze before looking up to eye Shane carefully. “Of course. Please, lead the way,” he gestured with one hand, the other still in his pocket.

Shane stopped by to whisper something in Marnie’s ear. She looked up at Ashley and then at Eric, nodding slowly before whispering something in return. Shane’s face was set hard as he walked toward the bus stop with Ashley beside him, his hand on her back and Eric behind them.

As soon as they were to the bus stop, clear of any eyes or ears, Shane turned on Eric, his eyes burning holes in his face as his fists ached to even the score for Ashley. The pumpkin in Ashley’s arms was getting heavy so she set it down on the ground out of the way. She crossed her arms and stood in front of Eric to hear what he had to say.

“First, Ashley, I know I’ve already apologized but I really am sorry. I should never have raised my hand to you,” Eric apologized, his black eyes full of sincerity. “Another reason I’m here…” he took a deep breath, “it’s been a week and, well…” Eric looked warily at Shane, unsure how much he was privy to.

Shane answered, catching his meaning, “Ashley’s not pregnant. We had the blood test done a week ago.” He put his arm around her waist in support. _Fight the world together..._

The relief in Eric’s face was clear despite the skeleton makeup. “Thank the gods for that,” he said, straightening up and settling his gaze back on Ashley, “which brings me to the last reason I’m here. I had hoped to apologize and try to win you back… the right way... but it appears I, once again, underestimated your situation.” He looked at the mermaid pendant on her neck and the wedding ring on her finger.

“It wasn’t until I went to court Wednesday that I realized several things about myself,” Eric continued, “and about you, Ashley. Eight years is a long time and a lot can change. We both have but I was so super-focused on finding you, the one person that always showed me love and compassion, that I never considered the life you would have.” He shifted uncomfortably, looking between the two, “Maybe we could keep in touch. I don’t have anybody else to talk to...”

Ashley couldn’t believe what she was hearing, a humble Eric that was clearly trying to make amends but he was always too late. She silently thanked Yoba that Shane proposed again and that Marnie had pressed them to get married sooner rather than wait. Still, he had no one else. Ashley started to open her mouth to answer but Shane knew her too well.

Shane started shaking his head, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If you need someone to talk to, get a therapist or talk to Sebastian since you two are already buds.” There was no fucking way this guy was gonna weasel his way back into their lives, especially if there was a chance of getting rid of him for good. He didn’t believe for a second that Eric was sincere. It had to be some ploy to get to Ashley.

Eric gave Shane a knowing half-smile, “Understood. It was worth a try… Ashley is my oldest friend and I hate losing her…” The intensity of his black eyes made Ashley hug into Shane. _She is truly lost to me._

“Goodbye, Eric. And good luck finding yourself,” Ashley said as he turned back toward town. He didn’t look back but continued onward instead.

Shane didn’t take his eyes off of Eric until he was out of sight. “Did you really buy into his ‘I’ve changed and just want to be friends’ bullshit?” he asked, looking pointedly at Ashley for an answer.

“I do, Shane, but I also understand there can be no ‘just friends’ with Eric… not after what we’ve been through,” Ashley answered with a sad face. It was difficult to see Eric alone, knowing how loneliness feels but if there was hope for her, there would be hope for him, too.

Bending down to pick up the golden pumpkin again, Ashley stood back up and turned to Shane, kissing his cheek, “Let’s go home and let Marnie know we’re okay.”

Shane was sure that, if he hadn’t proposed when he did and if they hadn’t married so quickly, Eric may have been able to eventually persuade Ashley away from him. It was clear she still had feelings for Eric by how different this encounter was from the first one at the Stardew Festival. She wasn’t letting on but he could tell.

They walked back to the house quietly contemplating what tonight had meant. Ashley started to carry the pumpkin up the stairs but Shane gently took it from her and placed it on the porch next to their jack o’lanterns. He was careful not to make eye contact with her, feeling shitty because of his discovery but also because she wasn’t making eye contact with him. 

The more Shane thought about Eric and Ashley, the more he retreated into himself until he started retreating into the dark, letting it eat at him. Why wouldn’t Ashley want to be with a guy like Eric? He’s confident, has more money than he knows what to do with and she’s obviously attracted to him. 

“Shane,” Ashley said quietly as they sat in front of the television with hot ciders in hand, “did you hear me? The new Halloween is streamable. Do you want to rent it?” She looked at him expectantly. 

He’d checked out once they got home, barely saying a word since they walked in. Hell, he didn’t even remember making the cider or sitting on the couch. _Why is Ashley looking at me like that? Why is she sitting on the other side of the couch?_

“What?” Shane asked a little more gruffly than he intended.

Ashley huffed and stood up, walking off to the kitchen. “If you didn’t want to watch a movie why didn’t you say no before?” she asked, setting her cup on the counter. He’d been acting weird since talking with Eric earlier and it was scaring her. 

Shane put his cup of cider down on the coffee table and stood to look at her. Her back was turned to him but he could tell she was close to tears by the way her shoulders slumped. He wanted to walk over and console her but he couldn’t help but feel betrayed. _Am I being irrational?_ He thought, running a hand through his hair but snagged it on a knot, forgetting that they had dressed up. 

“Shit!” Shane swore loudly in pain but Ashley took it as him being irritated by her.

Before he could say or do anything else, she rushed to the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Shane tried the doorknob but it was locked. _Fucking hell!_ Taking a deep breath, Shane rested his forehead on the door, trying not to cry. Every fucking time Eric had anything to do with them, they ended up arguing, upset or crying. 

“Ashley, baby, please unlock the door. I just pulled my hair and it hurt,” he called through the door. After a moment he heard her sniffling on the other side.

“You won’t look at me or talk to me. I know you’re upset… you have a right to be…” Ashley mumbled through her hands. Despite everything, Eric still held sway over her and she felt guilty about it.

Shane beat his head on the door, “I’m sorry, Ash. Will you open the door so we can talk about it?”

He waited a moment before hearing the lock turn and Ashley eased it open for Shane to slip inside and hold her like he should have before. “I know… I’m upset because I know you still have feelings for Eric. But, for whatever fucked up reason, you chose me... you married me…” he cried into her shoulder.

Ashley clung to Shane and whispered into his ear, “It’s because I love _you_ , Shane… Only you...” When was he going to get it through his head that she didn’t love Eric or any other guy for that matter?

She pulled back enough to caress his face, making sure he heard every word and saw that she meant it. “The feelings I have for Eric will continue to fade but the _love_ I have for you is forever, Shane. When I love, I go all in or nothing at all. You and I have fun, you allow me to be myself without judgement, you are a good man, Shane, and I love you so damn much. Besides that, do you even realize how fucking hot you are? My husband... the hottie with a nice ass. I love the feel of your body, your muscles underneath my hands, the way you make me feel when we kiss and when we make love. Everything about you is intoxicating, and I want to be on your high all the time.”

Shane was speechless. He had no idea Ashley thought all that about him. I mean, there was a part of him that thought maybe she kinda thought that way but it wasn’t until hearing it from her mouth, her perfect and soft lips, that he realized she is as crazy for him as he is for her. 

His lips eagerly found hers, kissing her with a need that demanded all of her attention. They made their way to the bathroom, tearing off clothes as if they were aflame and burning their skin. Once in the shower, they washed the paint off as fast as it would come off. Ashley washed him quickly and was down on her knees, taking him wholly in her mouth before he was fully erect but that didn’t take long. She was so good with her mouth, licking up and down before sucking on the tip. He had to lift her to her feet because he needed to be inside her. While Ashley was getting her hair wet, Shane had his fingers between her legs but came away immediately with blood. Only a second was given to the sadness of seeing her period but Shane wasted no time picking her up to straddle him, her back against the tile and arms wrapped around his neck. His hips hammered into her, feeling her as deep as he could get. The loud screams coming from her mouth told him he was hitting her cervix and he felt like he would go soon. 

“I’ll never leave you. You are mine and I am yours, Ash,” Shane murmured into her mouth before kissing her deeply, his tongue playing in with hers until she pulled away to scream his name.

“Sh-Shane!...Oh, fuck!” Ashley managed before her hips exploded with the most intense climax she had ever had.

Shane continued hammering as Ashley screamed, bringing him to yell ‘Fuck, yes!’ with his orgasm. It hit so hard that he felt like he would split her in half but she clung to him and rode the wave of heat and pure ecstasy until they couldn’t stand any longer.

Afterwards, they held each other up until they could move again. By then, the water was cold so they washed and rinsed quickly to towel off. Shane left her in the bathroom to grab some clothes and stopped at seeing his reflection in the standing mirror, a version of himself he hadn’t seen in almost six years. He had lost at least twenty pounds and gained a lot of muscle mass from working on the farm. Turning to look at his ass, he saw that it was no longer just a soft lump but was firm and shapely. Ashley had fallen for the out of shape Shane but was getting to enjoy the in-shape Shane, too. _Nice._

“See what I mean? My husband is _fucking_ sexy,” Ashley said, standing in the doorway with a towel wrapped around her and a smile on her face. _He’s so damn hot and he is all mine…_

Eric stood outside the window and watched them, still pining over the woman he had always wanted. _I can look like that if it’s what Ashley wants. I’ll get buff and big. Whatever it takes to get her back… marriage isn’t permanent if the spouse dies…_


	27. *Why Can't I Be You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Spirit's Eve Festival, Eric uses drastic measures to win Ashley back.

A few weeks after the Spirit’s Eve festival, Ashley and Shane were ready for the winter season. The greenhouse had been repaired, seeds had been planted and they had learned to preserve using a pressure canner. Everything had been peacefully quiet after visiting the Panitelli’s with Jas last weekend so they were making plans for a small get together at the farm to celebrate Ashley’s birthday in two weeks. The Panitelli’s would be driving down for the day and Keelie, who was on break for the semester, was planning to stay with them for the weekend.

Ashley was watering crops in the back of the greenhouse when she heard the door creak open. “Just got the back row here and I’m done,” she called without looking up. 

She heard the door creak shut and Shane’s footsteps stop just short of where she worked. The back two rows were full of baby pepper plants since he was looking forward to more of Ashley’s pepper poppers and wanted to try making some pepper jelly. She hummed quietly as she watered, waiting for him to come up and wrap his arms around her like he usually does.

“We can grab lunch at Gus’s before we go grocery shopping if you want. Personally, I could go for some spaghetti right about now,” Ashley said, conversing while she worked. 

She finished watering the last plant and stood to stretch before turning to Shane for an answer but when she turned around, her sweet smile turned to a frown. It wasn’t her husband standing there but Eric. He’d started working out a lot more by the look of his pecs showing through his already tight dress shirt. 

Eric grinned back at her with his eyebrows raised in amusement. “I’m not sure I’m in the mood for spaghetti but it’s whatever you want,” he joked smoothly, making his way closer. She was completely at peace in her element and he could easily see why Shane had fallen for her.

Ashley scoffed and put the watering can down next to the faucet. “What are you doing here, Eric? I thought you were on a journey of self-discovery?” She wiped the loose hair on her face aside and put her hands on her hips, “State your business and be on your way.”

Eric took another step toward her, smiling, “That’s exactly why I’m here... on business, trying to talk Sebastian into working for me again. He was one of my best developers and I’m falling behind schedule without him.” It had taken a large sum of money… and a great deal more... but Sebastian finally agreed to continue working for him.

Ashley crossed her arms, “And you thought that, since you were in town, you’d pop on over to say hello?” Shaking her head in disbelief, “Eric, I appreciate the fact that you’re trying to be civil but you shouldn’t be here. Shane and I are happy together. I _love_ him. If you care about me you would respect that and give me space.”

“Ash, it’s difficult. I had a taste of what it was like to be happy, to feel _something_ again. I can’t just turn that off,” Eric replied with a pain in his black eyes that made Ashley look away. _I never should have lost my temper with her… never should have raised my hand..._

Ashley needed him to leave. The longer he was in her presence the more her wounds opened before they had fully healed. She threw her arms up in the air and started toward the front. Shane should be finished with putting all the jars and lids in the dishwasher by now. _Where is he?_

“Well, Eric, _try_ . I’m not the only girl in the world. Join a philosophy book club or try a dating app, I dunno,” she said pointedly. She said that to make a point but the fact was Eric had a way of making her feel like the only girl in the world. _But so does your husband, Ash._

Eric followed on the opposite side of the greenhouse to get to the door before her. “Ashley, please. I’ve tried going on a few dates since we talked but… I… it’s going to take me time to get over you. Perhaps if you both came to have dinner with me one night in the city.” 

If anyone understood how much time it takes to get over someone it was Ashley, but what Eric was proposing, Shane would never agree to. “Spending time with someone you’re trying to get over is the opposite of getting over them, Eric,” she said gently.

He was close enough to smell her perfume and needed any excuse to touch her. He’d been using the recordings of the video feed of her in his apartment to masturbate to but it was a poor substitute for her warm body. When Ashley reached for the door, Eric got there first so her hand touched his instead, sending a shock up his arm. She recoiled quickly and opened her mouth to protest but he opened the door and stepped aside.

“After you,” Eric said warmly, holding it open for Ashley. He closed his eyes as she passed, her warmth radiating like a faint whisper, tormenting him further.

When they stepped out of the greenhouse, Shane was just coming down the steps of the farmhouse and almost stopped at seeing Eric exit after Ashley. If it weren’t for the look of absolute annoyance on Ashley’s face, Shane would have been livid. He continued toward them, meeting them in the yard. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Eric?” Shane asked, reaching his hand out to Ashley as they neared. The need for constant reassurance that Ashley had chosen him was doubled whenever Eric was around. Shane couldn’t help but feel that Eric could win Ashley over again if given any amount of time with him, despite her promises otherwise.

Eric watched Ashley take Shane’s hand and cringed internally but put on his confident facade. “Relax, I was in town on business and stopped by to say hello,” he replied using Ashley’s words, sizing up Shane to compare his own progress. 

“Alright, you’ve said hello now fuck off,” Shane said with a frown, putting his arm around Ashley’s shoulders. Ashley put her arm around Shane’s waist and hugged him comfortably. He knew Eric never shot straight, he always had some kind of angle.

“One last thing,” Eric said, pulling an envelope out of his inside, front pocket and handing it to Ashley. “An early birthday gift. I’m going to be out of town the next two weeks but I didn’t want to miss it.”

Ashley looked at the envelope a moment before Eric said, ‘please’. She finally took it from his hand and paused a moment before opening it. Inside we’re two stateside tickets for the Cure concert this upcoming weekend. 

Eric watched the shock on her face and smiled, “I bought them while you were… visiting. Even though we won’t be going together, I still wanted you to have them.”

When Ashley realized her jaw was agape, she closed it. Placing the tickets back into the envelope, she handed it back, “Eric, I can’t accept these…” she started to say but Shane and Eric both spoke at the same time.

“Sure you can!” Shane said incredulously.

“They’ll go to waste if you don’t go,” Eric explained before pleading, “Please.” They had to be in the city for his plan to work. _Once Shane is out of the way, Ashley and I can be together..._

Shane had always wanted to go see the Cure in concert but he couldn’t let Eric know how excited he was. “There’s no reason we can’t, Ash. You love the Cure. Besides, it'll be nice to take a weekend trip together.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her cheek, partly because he was excited about getting away with his wife for the weekend and mostly to make Eric jealous.

It had worked. Eric rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. He hated the thought of them spending the weekend together but he needed Ashley on his side. 

“It’s settled, then. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way,” Eric said with a forced grin and a long glance at Ashley before walking toward the bus stop. 

Ashley stepped toward him and gingerly laid a hand on his arm, “Thank you, Eric, for this gift. Have a safe trip.” 

Eric looked down at her hand, voluntarily touching him after recoiling a moment ago and smiled. “Happy birthday, Ashley,” he said before turning to the man who had won the affection of the woman they loved. He nodded curtly, “Shane.” 

Turning quickly, Eric headed back to his car where the driver greeted him and opened the door. “I trust business went well, Mr. Winters,” he said conversationally as Eric got in.

His mood had darkened slightly but plans were in motion. “Things went as well as expected, Bartholomew. Take me home, please,” Eric said, fingering the barbell piercing in his eyebrow and thinking about the way Ashley seemed to be fighting her feelings for him but she had to come to him willingly. _After Shane is gone,_ _she will come back to me…_

\-----

Once Eric had gone, Shane picked Ashley up and carried her inside where he shut and locked the door. Something about knowing he had beaten Eric by winning Ashley’s love and affection made him drunk with desire. 

“I know it’s noon but I feel like skipping lunch for something sweet,” Shane murmured as Ashley straddled him and their foreheads touched.

Ashley smiled seductively, “You’re a naughty boy but I like it.” She lowered her lips to kiss him but he started kissing her neck, drawing happy sighs from her.

Shane took her to the crackling fireplace and set her down on the couch. He teased her with a grind of his hips and a deep kiss before pulling back to stand up. 

“Where are you going?” Ashley asked with a pout, her chest rising, lips full and red from their kiss.

Shane smiled, “Getting the blanket. I want to make love in front of the fireplace again.” 

He turned to grab the blanket and lay it down on the floor. When he turned back around, Ashley stood naked next to him, her perfect breasts perked from arousal and lips parted invitingly. She watched Shane with a deep love and admiration in her eyes as he undressed. Once naked, he beckoned her over with his finger and she obliged. Sliding her hands slowly up his chest and around his neck, Shane snaked his arms around Ashley’s waist and kissed her so intimately that they thought they would melt on the spot. 

They went down to the blanket on their knees and Shane guided Ashley with kisses until she lay on her back, looking up at him. With a quick little tease, Shane brushed the outside of her with his member making her lift her hips for him, eager to feel him inside. He locked eyes with Ashley as he entered, causing her to gasp and moan. Her hands went up around his neck and shoulders, as he moved his hips nearly pulling all the way out before entering again. 

Soon, Ashley was close to coming, pulling Shane close, needing to feel as much of his skin next to hers as she could. He kissed her neck and felt her close in around him, breathing hard and moaning in his ear. Shane’s body shuddered but he held on, waiting until she was finished.

“I am yours, Shane… and you are mine,” Ashley managed after her climax subsided, her lips brushing Shane’s ear. He was the only one that made her feel this way, always giving her everything he is.

When Shane pulled out, Ashley noticed he was still hard and moved to switch positions. He lay on his back and Ashley slipped on top, easing him in. Shane’s hands grasped her breasts, massaging them while she rocked her hips forward and backward to draw it out of him. Ashley was so wet that it didn’t take long before Shane moved his hands to grip her hips and threw his head back to moan loudly. She smiled, watching him go so hard and so long, that she was surprised when her own second orgasm hit. When Shane realized she was going again but that he had started to soften, he moved his thumb to her clit in gentle circles to keep it going. She panted ‘yes!’, letting it build until she came hard and toppled over, unable to sit upright. Ashley kissed Shane’s chest and hugged him tight, hoping this moment was the one they made life together, having been trying for a month now. Coincidentally, next weekend would also be when Ashley was set to start again and they would be out of town at the concert.

Laying on the floor cuddled next to the fireplace, Ashley lay draped over Shane as they closed their eyes. There was so much peace in the moment, neither dared to break it. They were supposed to be canning today but the stress of having a certain surprise visitor had ruined their productive mood. 

“Well, that settles it. The canning will wait for tomorrow,” Shane said, hugging Ashley’s naked body to him, “Leftovers and movies it is.” 

Ashley looked up into his sleepy green eyes and kissed his chin, the stubble scratching her lips in such a satisfying way that she continued her kisses along his jaw. “Sounds good to me, my love,” she whispered, ending her kisses on his lips. _I look forward to a long life with this beautiful man._

\-----

Marnie and Jas waved goodbye as they stepped on the bus for their weekend trip to see the Cure in concert. As excited as Ashley had been, she was happy to see that Shane was almost as excited as she was. 

“You never mentioned how much you like the Cure, too,” Ashley said happily as they snuggled into their seat on the bus. 

Shane grinned in return, “You never asked and there was no way in hell I was gonna let Eric know.” He grabbed a quick peck before putting his arm around Ashley’s shoulders. _Plus, Ashley hasn’t seen the pictures of my goth phase in high school._

The bus ride was spent planning Ashley’s birthday, discussing Christmas presents and talking about how well Keelie and Vinnie were getting along. Shane said Vinnie was totally smitten with Keelie but he wanted to take things slow. He was enjoying having a steady girlfriend when most of his past relationships had been girls wanting free food at Panitelli’s.

Keelie had told Ashley she was actually okay with going slow. Vinnie was really kind and gentle with her, ‘a real sweetheart’, she had said. Apparently, most of the guys she had dated expected a physical relationship but she had standards. 

“He treats me like a princess, like what I say is important, Ash. I’ve never met a guy like him before,” Keelie told her over the week when Ashley phoned. 

Ashley was happy for her little sister but she had no idea who any of her past boyfriends had been, missing a large and important chunk of her life. It felt nice being able to talk to Keelie again, to be part of her own family even if it was just her sister but that meant the world to Ashley.

The bus pulled up to their usual stop and they headed across the road to Panitelli’s for an early lunch and to say hello. Shane opened the door for Ashley and, when they stepped in, were greeted warmly by their adopted family.

“Hey! It’s Mr. and Mrs. Rogers in the house!” Vinnie grinned as he came around the counter for hugs. 

“Vinnie! Good to see ya!” Shane said with a huge grin before letting Ashley get a hug.

“It’s always a pleasure, Vinnie. How’s your ma and pa?” Ashley asked, smiling at the brother she never had.

Vinnie smiled as he headed back around the counter to take their order, “They’re real good. Should be back from their cruise Monday.” 

After lunch, the Rogers’ headed to their hotel to check-in and decided to explore the shopping mall since they knew the city was safe from Eric’s interference. They decided to pick up a few Christmas presents for Jas and Marnie since they were there. Ashley found a set of hooded, glittery bunny pajamas that would go perfect with the jeweled bunny slippers Shane had bought for her. As for Marnie, Shane picked out a new apron and matching oven mitts since hers had seen better days and had so many holes that it was being held together by the patches Marnie had sewn on. 

They grabbed a few things for the house they couldn’t get in town before heading back to the hotel room to get ready for the concert. An hour later, they were dressed in their Cure t-shirts and black jeans. Shane had also brought along his small, black gauges and put on a little of her eyeliner, smudging it with his finger. Lastly, he painted his nails black. 

Ashley couldn’t keep her eyes off of him, changed so much by a little makeup and earrings. “I didn’t know your ears were pierced, either,” she commented, a gleam in her eyes, “You’re, uh, kinda turning me on with the whole goth Shane look.” 

Shane sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed her by the backside, bringing her between his legs, “Well, you look pretty hot as a goth, too, my beautiful succubus.” His lips found hers with raw intent a moment before his phone dinged, alerting them that their cab was downstairs.

Ashley groaned, “No time for a quickie then.” She sighed with a pouty face, stepping back for Shane to adjust his tight jeans.

The desire in Shane’s own eyes was intense. “Later,” he growled seductively before stealing another kiss.

\-----

The crowd waiting to get in was electric, practically buzzing as everyone chatted excitedly. Shane held Ashley’s hand until they joined the others in line then turned her toward him and kissed her intimately… in public… Ashley was exhilarated. There was a dominance in his behaviour that she’d never seen before and it was so fucking attractive, almost enough that she wanted to find a dark corner.

“You’re making me think all sorts of naughty thoughts right now,” Ashley purred just before the line started moving. 

Shane walked behind her, keeping his hands on her hips. “Oh, I’m sure,” he replied with kisses on her neck and shoulder, “I keep looking for a private place to sneak off but I don’t wanna lose our place in line.”

Ashley had to squeeze her legs together to keep from losing her composure and started looking for that quiet place when it came time to show their tickets and headed down to the front. 

It was standing room only but they managed to find a place pretty close to the front. They watched the stagehands set up the last bit of equipment for the soundcheck. Soon, the lights started to dim and the opening act came on. They were pretty good but the moment Robert Smith came out strumming the intro to Lullaby, the crowd lost it. Shane sang along with a lot of the songs but Ashley knew most of them by heart. When it came to Pictures of You, they both got quiet with the memory of Eric’s proposal and Shane dying inside. Instead of singing along, Shane held Ashley and just stared into her eyes until the song had passed. He hoped that Ashley’s way of cataloguing things would help reset that song in her brain if she listened to it while focusing completely on him. Whether it worked or not, only time would tell... but at the end, she gave him a sweet smile. 

During the Just Like Heaven set, the cameraperson scanned the crowd and landed on Shane and Ashley long enough for them to share a kiss before moving off. When they broke their kiss, he realized how dry his mouth had become from singing so Ashley’s must be.

“I’m gonna get us some drinks,” Shane yelled over the crowd, “Be right back.” When Ashley nodded with a thankful grin, he grabbed a quick kiss and headed off. 

Ashley was still on a high from the electric energy of the crowd. She watched the other people around her and felt her thoughts gravitating toward the person who made this concert possible. Shaking her head to get rid of him, instead she focused on Shane’s extraordinarily green eyes, made more so by the dark makeup. Her thoughts were interrupted by the next song beginning and the fact that Shane hadn’t made it back yet. She looked around in concern, finally connecting with his eyes a few minutes later. 

Shane was glad to see a smile on her face when he came up. “Sorry it took so long, there was a line!” He replied, handing her a water bottle. 

After the concert, Shane and Ashley were both still pumped having been less than ten feet away from the gothic rock icon, Robert Smith. They wandered outside to find a lively crowd outside the venue. Shane took her by the hand and they headed down the sidewalk to catch a cab. She smiled up at him, thinking about all the good memories they were making and how she hadn’t started yet when someone came by, almost knocking them over. 

“Hey! Watch it!” Ashley yelled after the dark figure stumbling past the crowds hurriedly. She looked back at Shane and started, “Can you believe…”

Shane was frowning and grabbed his left side. Ashley watched him go down on a knee and his hand came away with blood. “No, no, no…” Ashley cried, dropping to the ground with him. She pulled out her phone and dialed 911, “My husband is hurt… he’s bleeding… please…I think he’s been stabbed.”

There was a hushed crowd gathered around them when the paramedics finally arrived. The police had already scanned the crowd but were unable to find the perpetrator. Ashley held Shane in her lap, stroking his hair and holding pressure on the stab wound in his side as instructed. His breathing was shallow and he stayed still, listening to Ashley’s heartbeat against him, focusing on her perfume and her warmth instead of the pain. 

The EMTs carefully placed him on a stretcher and loaded him in the back of the ambulance. Ashley waited until they motioned her inside to sit next to him, holding his cold hand in hers. Shane’s oxygen mask fogged up as he struggled to breath, his eyes fluttering open and closed.

Ashley kissed his forehead, “I’m here, my love. Once we get you to the hospital, you’ll be fine.” 

They wheeled him back to the emergency room quickly, making Ashley wait in the hall outside at the nurse’s station. She went to the bathroom to wash up and looked down at Shane’s dried blood on her hand, sobbing as she watched the water turn red and run down the drain. Why would some random stranger stab Shane? He still had his wallet so it could be a botched robbery. With a heavy sigh, she splashed her face with water, patted it dry with a paper towel and headed back to speak to the nurses.

They didn’t know anything as of yet but the policemen came and took her statement before leaving her alone. Taking a deep breath, she called Marnie and Tony to let them know what was going on. 

When Tony made it to the hospital, Ashley had her head down on her lap. “Ashley!” he called out as soon as he was close enough.

Ashley shot up and headed toward him, hugging him so tight he might choke. “Tony! Thank, Yoba!” she cried, relieved to see a friendly face, “The doctor said the knife hit his old scar tissue, keeping it from penetrating too far. Otherwise, it would’ve nicked his spleen if he had one. Thank, Yoba, it missed anything else” She let go and stood back, adding, “Twenty stitches and a month of rest, he’ll be alright… barring any infections.” She led Tony to Shane’s room.

“That’s great news,” Mr. Panitelli replied, smiling in relief before replacing it with a frown, “Was it Eric?” 

Ashley shook her head, “He’s out of town on business.” _Besides, he wouldn’t stoop to murder, would he?_

Shane opened his eyes to find Ashley and Tony talking quietly next to him and smiled, “Hey…” His voice was groggy from the painkillers and mouth dry like cotton but he tried again, “I need water, please.”

Ashley got his cup of water with straw and helped him drink, “Slow and easy, love.” She tried smiling but the worry lines were apparent. This was twice he’d ended up in her arms close to death. “The doctor said you’ll make a full recovery. As long as there’s no sign of infection, you should be released the day after tomorrow,” she said, brushing her fingers through his hair and kissing his forehead.

Tony stepped up next to Ashley, “Vin and Marge had to take care of nonni Greta but they’ll be out in the morning to see ya. How you feeling?” The wrinkles in his forehead deepened at seeing his adopted son laying in a hospital bed.

Shane took a moment to answer, remembering the sharp pain in his side and the feeling of helplessness. The only thing that kept him from going into shock was not wanting to leave Ashley alone as he bled out on the street. “I feel alright but that’s probably the painkillers,” he responded. _The next time I see Eric, it’ll be the last time…_

\-----

Monday afternoon, Ashley helped Shane off the bus while the driver offered to unload their bags with Marnie’s help. For the most part, Shane was able to get up and down by himself but Ashley insisted on coddling him. She hadn’t left his side, wanting him fully healed as soon as possible. In fact, Ashley had talked Marnie into bringing the tractor and trailer to the bus stop so he didn’t have to walk the half-mile home. 

After helping Shane up on the trailer and loading everything else, they set off toward the house, taking care to make the ride as smooth as possible. Once back to the farmhouse, Ashley and Marnie unloaded everything, getting Shane settled on the couch. Ashley grabbed an extra pillow for him to prop up on. The last thing Marnie brought in was a box full of Shane’s gaming stuff; controllers, games, everything. 

“Aunt Marnie! You’re awesome, thanks,” Shane beamed from his comfy spot and looked at the ladies in his life. “You all sure know how to make a guy feel loved,” he said as Jas came over to tentatively rest her hand on his shoulder.

“Will you be able to ride bikes with us anymore, Uncle Shane?” Jas asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

Shane smiled warmly, “Of course I will, Jazzy Bear. You, Aunt Ashley and Aunt Marnie are gonna take good care of me. I’ll be right as rain before you know it.” He put his arm around his god-daughter when she wrapped her little arms around his neck, “Now, you help your aunties with everything and let me rest, okay?”

Jas leaned back and sniffled, “Okay,” walking back to Marnie for consolation.

Shane said goodbye to them before Ashley walked them out. Shortly, the tractor started up and she came back inside, sinking to the ground beside him and took his hand.

“Shane, could this have been Eric? I mean, he said he was out of town…” Ashley trailed off, not wanting to blame this on Eric but there was no other explanation unless the person that stabbed Shane mistook him for someone else.

“I dunno, Ash, and I didn’t get a look at the guy at all,” Shane replied, kissing her hand and leaving it on his lips for a moment while he contemplated things. “We need a plan for the next time he comes out here, though, just in case. And, we should call Detective Woods, let her know what’s going on.” he added.

Ashley sniffled and laid her head on his arm, “I told the officers that took my statement we were working with Gillian on her case against Eric. She should have everything now.”

They decided to upload the concert pics to her Facebook page, just in case and keep the guise that everything was fine. If it was Eric or someone he sent, he might try to bother them while Shane was recovering. Hopefully it would buy them some time while he healed. With her birthday party being next weekend, Shane needed rest more than anything. 

\-----

Eric was riding in a cab on his way to have lunch with a client when he got a notification on Facebook saying Ashley (Webber) Rogers had posted a new status. He raised his eyebrow in interest since she didn’t post much and pulled it up. She had written, ‘The Cure in concert and a night with my hot husband… Best birthday ever!’. He cringed a little and looked through the pictures she posted. When Eric got to the picture of Ashley and Shane together, he narrowed his eyes at the way Shane had made himself up, raging internally at the thought of _him_ trying to imitate what he lived everyday. _Fucking poser…_

To bring peace back before his meeting, Eric focused on how happy his beautiful Ashley looked instead. She was one person in this whole world that made him complete. Otherwise, all his hard work over the past eight years were for naught. Obviously, the guy he hired had either stabbed the wrong guy or missed his opportunity. He would have to wire him more money along with their address with explicit instructions NOT to harm Ashley, under any circumstances. _Shane must die if Ashley is going to be mine…_


	28. Straight to the Heart of the Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric's attempts at getting Ashley back are putting strains on her marriage and Shane worries he may be losing her again.

Wednesday afternoon, after Shane’s doctor appointment, they were relaxing on the couch playing video games when Ashley received a text from Eric. She picked up her phone and raised an eyebrow.

‘Taking a quick lunch break. How was the concert?’ he asked.

Shane looked over to see who it was and frowned at seeing Eric’s name, “What does he want now?”

“He’s asking how the concert was,” Ashley said, putting the phone back down without answering. 

Shane paused the game, picked it back up and smiled deviously, “Well, let him know how good it was. Make sure you tell him we had awesome, hot sex afterwards, too. Best birthday gift, ever.” He pretended to reply. He was a little bitter about their night being spoiled and weeks ruined not being able to make love to his wife to heal.

Ashley snorted and grabbed her phone away, “Stop! Don’t do that. He might have an alibi but I still don’t want to provoke him. Besides, he’s trying to be normal and he doesn’t have anyone else to talk to besides us.”

Shane gave her a sideways look and grumbled, “You, Ash. He doesn’t have anyone to talk to but  _ you _ . He’s not your problem to fix. Eric needs a therapist, not his ex-girlfriend, whom, need I remind you, he practically kidnapped, seduced and slapped to the ground.” He was shaking his head violently, “No. Fuck Eric. You need to block his number.”

Ashley stared at Shane a long time. He was getting angrier with each time Eric contacted her and it was within his right. Shane felt responsible for her safety and she kept letting Eric in, especially after what happened this past weekend. She knew she was grasping at a reason but the question was why? Why did she feel it was her place? Why was she coming up with excuses?

“I understand all that, Shane, but I also understand what it means to be so lonely…,” Ashley started to reply but Shane interrupted her.

“...to not have anyone else in the whole world that even cares whether you’re alive or dead.” He finished for her, having heard this spiel many times now. Shaking his head Shane got up from the couch with a wince and walked to the kitchen for a glass of water. “We can’t keep doing this, Ash,” he said firmly.

He was getting tired of hearing about what Eric needed.  _ What about what I need? I need my wife to get over this fuck-face so she can put her energy into our marriage _ .  _ Ashley made her choice, she married me. Move on. _ What was it going to take for this fucker to leave her alone? He was obviously trying to get rid of him but she seemed to be in denial.

Ashley had her head in her hands, sniffling. He was right, of course. Shane had been fully supportive in helping Ashley recover at his own expense while she had been giving Eric part of the attention her husband needed. If they were going to keep their marriage from falling apart, Eric needed to leave them alone. She couldn’t keep making excuses, it had to stop. 

“You’re right. Eric is not my problem to fix,” Ashley said with a sigh. “I’ll tell him to stop contacting us… me… and to not come back to the house,” she added and picked up her phone. 

Shane wandered back over to watch Ashley type, ‘The concert was great. Thanks again for the tickets. Shane and I have been talking, we don’t want you to contact us or come over anymore. We hope you can find happiness. Goodbye forever.’

Shane shook his head, “No, that’s too gentle. Ash, this guy won’t stop unless you give him a hard cut.” He took her phone and erased the message, typing his own, ‘I don’t love you. Don’t contact me anymore.’

“There. Short and to the point,” Shane said, handing it back to Ashley.

“He’ll know it’s from you. I could add, ‘I’ve moved on with my life, you should, too.’ That sounds more like me,” Ashley replied, still unhappy about it but this is what needed to be done. 

Before they could send it, Eric texted again, ‘I met someone.’

Ashley stared at the words on the screen and held the phone up for Shane to read them. “Maybe he’s already moving on?” she grinned up at him, “Eric did mention going on a few dates already.”

Shane still didn’t trust him and never would. Not after what he did to them… “Fuck it, he’s your  _ friend _ ,” he said angrily and stomped back outside. The way he emphasized ‘friend’ made her flinch.

_ Why am I doing this to Shane? _ Ashley groaned. She sniffled and wiped her nose before responding, ‘Concert was great, thanks. Glad to hear you’re moving on but we can’t keep talking. Do us both a favor, lose my number.’

Before Ashley could change her mind she sent the text and blocked his number. Then, tossing her cell on the table she jumped up to find her husband. She needed to apologize for being weak and making excuses.  _ I’m done with Eric and need to focus on Shane. He’s my whole world but I’m not doing enough to make him feel like it. _

Knowing he couldn’t have gone far, Ashley walked out on the porch and found him sitting on the porch chair with an aluminum can in his lap. As she came closer, she saw it was only a Joja cola and relaxed. “Is this seat taken?” she asked with a weak grin, gesturing to the wooden stump they used for a table.

Shane looked up at her with sadness in his eyes and nodded before looking back over the winter landscape of the farm. Ashley sat down next to him and put her hands in her lap. 

“Ash, I can’t keep doing this. I’m not going to share you with Eric. You need to choose who’s more important: your husband or the other guy,” Shane said quietly, taking another sip of cola.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been stronger… especially after this weekend,” Ashley said, sighing deeply, “I told Eric to stop talking to me and to lose my number then blocked his number. I’m done.” She turned to face her husband, putting her hand on his thigh, “I choose my husband… always.”

Shane looked at Ashley, wanting to see if there was still anything in her eyes that would betray her words but the absolute resolve staring back at him lifted his spirits. “Good,” he said plainly, finishing his Joja cola and crushing the can. 

When Shane held his hand out for Ashley, she took it with a content smile as he brought it up to his lips.  _ Yoba, help us get rid of that fucker.  _ It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Ashley but rather the way Eric blatantly disregarded Shane. Eric obviously didn’t find him as a real threat so maybe it was time to change that. 

\-----

Eric stared at Ashley’s text and got angry.  _ Do us  _ both _ a favor?  _ Shane must have put her up to it. There was no way Ashley would just cut him off like that. Flicking the piercing in his tongue against his teeth, Eric reread her text.  _ Glad to hear you’re moving on… _ There was no one else, of course. It was a lie and a gamble he hadn’t expected to backfire so badly. 

_ What the fuck am I going to do now?  _ Eric needed to go to the club again tonight. He needed a warm body in his bed and there were plenty of gorgeous women there who would happily spend the night with him. 

_ Lose my number…  _ Eric thought, wiping his mouth on his napkin and asking for the check.  _ I’ll get rid of Shane before I lose your number.  _ The rage inside him stewed until he started to shake.  _ I’m going to need two girls tonight…  _

Eric had two more meetings, one after lunch and the last one in two days. Friday’s would have to be rescheduled. He pulled up the client’s number and pressed send, giving his credit card to the waitress. 

“Eric Winters calling for Li Yung,” he said, leaning back in his chair while waiting for the secretary to transfer him. “Mr. Yung, I’m sorry but there’s an urgent matter back home that needs my immediate attention. I need to reschedule.”

——-

Ashley woke up Saturday morning before Shane and silenced their phones. Outside of needing rest while he healed, the past few nights he’d been restless, waking her often and she’d had to soothe him back to sleep. Right now, Shane lay on his right side with his face squished against the pillow, mouth partly open and breathing soundly. His long lashes brushed the tops of his cheeks along with his messy, violet locks and Ashley fought the urge to run her hands through his hair. 

Instead, she rested her head back on her pillow and sighed happily. She didn’t realize how stressful it had been for Shane having Eric constantly popping up unexpectedly until the other day. Thankfully, after she told Shane she chose him, that it was done and Eric had stopped talking to her, he seemed to be more at ease… at least when he was awake. Ashley wasn’t sure how long she lay there watching Shane sleep but when he finally started to stir, she reached over and swept the hair from his eyes just as they opened. 

His sleepy green eyes focused a moment before he smiled, “Good morning.” Shane held his arms out for her, unable to move with the pain in his side waking up with him but it was his wife’s birthday.

She snuggled up against him and sighed happily. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?” Ashley asked while she enjoyed the warmth of his full body hug. 

“Mm-hmm, like a baby,” Shane said, kissing Ashley’s temple, “What time is it?”

“Mmm, I dunno. I woke up a while ago and turned the alarms off so you could sleep in,” Ashley replied and kissed his chest.

“You’re so good to me. Letting me sleep in on your birthday,” Shane said before he leaned back to look at his beautiful wife. 

She had a glow about her that he found irresistible. Brushing her cheek with his hand before cupping her face, Shane kissed her soft lips and pulled back to see her smiling back up at him. Being with Ashley like this still felt like a dream and he was still waiting to wake up. 

“I can’t believe that someone like you would choose to be with a guy like me,” Shane whispered, rubbing noses with her. 

Ashley ran her fingers through his hair. “You are a good man who loves me despite all my hangups and has a nice ass. Why would I want anyone else?” she replied with a smile before leaning into him for another kiss. 

When Ashley made a little noise with their kiss, Shane felt the rest of him wake up. He rested his forehead on hers, “I really wish we could be together this morning.” 

“Mmmm. I know. I’m trying not to think about it too much… but, as soon as you’re healed, we can try out Marnie’s barn and roll in the hay like we talked about,” Ashley replied with a giggle. 

Shane rolled his eyes, “You temptress!” With a groan, he slowly rolled out of bed to sit on the edge to wait on his escort.

Ashley slipped out of bed and walked around to help him to the bathroom before readying his morning medication. Once she heard the toilet flush, she waited until the sink turned on before opening the door. 

“Here you are, my love,” Ashley said as she put the napkin with his pills down on the sink with a glass of water.

Shane gave her a quick kiss before swallowing them back and draining the water. “I noticed you haven’t started yet. I was thinking we could ask the doctor to check again during my visit next week,” he said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“I could just be late,” Ashley said, leaning over to kiss him, “but if you want to make an appointment, you can call while you rest on the couch and I’ll make us some breakfast.”  _ Any excuse to spend a lazy day with you is a good excuse, _ she thought, rubbing his arm.

Shane made the call to Dr. Harvey, who was able to squeeze the pregnancy test in at his checkup. By the time Ashley finished cleaning up breakfast and watering the greenhouse, it was eleven. Shane felt like shit, having Ashley do everything on her birthday but she was adamant that he do absolutely nothing except rest. It tired him watching her run around cleaning and checking up on him every half-hour to make sure he was comfortable, had enough water, changing out his game or making him a snack. 

Fortunately, Marnie and Jas showed up just before Ashley started on lunch to help out. They heard tiny footsteps starting up the porch steps followed by a bellowing Marnie, calling for Jas to wait and hold the door for her. Jas did, chattering excitedly about birthday presents, before running over to give her Uncle Shane a tender hug. Marnie came in with a double armload of food and bags hanging off her arm that she immediately dropped off at the dining table, heaving a huge sigh of relief.

Marnie pulled Ashley into a big hug. “Happy birthday, Chickadee!” she said joyfully before heading over to give her nephew a hug, “How are you feelin’ today, kid?”

Shane grinned up at his aunt, “Good but tired. Ashley’s running around taking care of everything. As soon as I’m better, I’m taking her away for a weeklong vacation.” When he looked at Ashley, the loving smile on her face warmed him to his core.

Keelie showed up at two o’clock to help and Ashley met her outside with hugs and excited chatter. Marnie had just put on a pot of hot cider to get them started when the girls came in all smiles. Shane gave them a grin and a small wave as Ashley showed her to the guest room. 

“Grandpa’s house isn’t grandpa’s house anymore but better. It looks really great, Ash,” Keelie complimented as she put her backpack on the bed. 

Ashley hoisted her suitcase next to it, “It took me seven months to save and get all the renovations and additions done. The local carpenter, Robyn, is so talented. She said she could expand the kitchen and add a cellar on the next reno.” She looked at her little sister. Seeing her here, now, was surreal. “I’m glad we’re talking again, Keels. I’ve really missed you, missed being a big sister,” Ashley said with a little sniffle. 

“Hey! Don’t you dare cry! It’s not allowed on your birthday!” Keelie joked, giving Ashley a hug so she wouldn’t see her tear up, too. She leaned back to look at Ashley, “For two weeks, I’ve been looking forward to hanging out with you and getting to know my brother-in-law so whaddya say we get the pre-party going?”

Ashley smiled, “Alright. But take it easy on him. Outside of being stabbed in the gut last weekend, Shane’s been nervous since you’re the only person in our family he’s met. Be gentle.” 

Marnie greeted Keelie with a hug when they came back into the kitchen. “Heya, kiddo! Good to see you again, Miss Keelie. I’ll have to get to know ya better before I give you a nickname,” she chuckled happily.

Keelie smiled and headed over to greet Shane, “Hey, big brother. How are you holding up?” She put her hands on the back of the couch to squat down. 

Shane raised his eyebrow at being called big brother, always being the younger brother of the two. “I’m hanging in there. Your sister already kept me in line but now she won’t let me do anything,” he replied with a goofy grin, earning him a look from Ashley. “I hope you like pepper poppers because you girls gotta make a shit-ton of them for the party,” he said with a proud grin. After they got back from the city, Ashley had learned how to make them and they were just about perfect.

The next hour and a half was spent parboiling and peeling jalapenos, making the cheese mixture, stuffing peppers, rolling them in breadcrumbs then deep-frying and placing them on baking sheets to be kept warm in the oven. They would have had a lot more if it wasn’t for Shane eating a popper from every single batch they deep-fried, calling it ‘quality control’. Ashley also spent time making four pumpkin pies and lots of whipped topping while they talked while Jas and Buttons scampered across the floor chasing her toys.

Keelie had been watching their interactions and it made her miss her sister even more. She had been spending time with various aunts and uncles, Uncle Bill mostly, him being their closest uncle but seeing that Ashley had built a new family out here made her sad in a way she’d never felt before. It was almost as if her older sister had replaced her own family even if they had abandoned her first.  _ If only Uncle Bill would come out to see for himself. Maybe I can talk him into visiting at Christmas. _

Marnie had made two of her famous lasagnas for tonight and brought a huge salad. When they put it in the oven to reheat, Shane closed his eyes, breathing in the cheesy, meaty goodness and thanking Yoba he got to eat Marnie’s lasagna twice in a year. 

When they heard car doors shut, Keelie smoothed out her shirt and jeans, popping a mint in her mouth. Ashley and Shane smiled at each other at seeing her reaction before Ashley waited at the door to greet them. 

Marge came in with a large, white box followed by Tony and Vinnie carrying various containers and bags. Ashley wished she'd gotten a picture of Keelie’s face when Vinnie entered because it was precious. Her cheeks flushed lightly and her eyes sparkled bright as her lips curled up into a sweet smile and Vinnie’s reaction at seeing Keelie was almost as adorable.  _ These two haven’t a clue… _

The party settled in a few minutes later at the dining table and island, sipping on cider and wine while snacking on pepper poppers, chatting and laughing happily. They were nearly through with dinner when another knock came at the door. Ashley looked at Shane, puzzled at who would be calling on them when all their guests had arrived. Shane shrugged his shoulders so Ashley went to the door and opened it. When she saw who the unexpected guest was, she shot a look at Shane before stepping out and closed the door behind her.

Eric stood in his sleek party suit with a nicely wrapped gift box in hand. He hated the thought of rushing his plans but Ashley was slipping farther away from his grasp and he needed to act fast. He handed her the gift, “Happy Birthday, beautiful.”

“Eric, look. It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do but you can’t be here. Please, go home and don’t come back,” Ashley said, trying to warn him away by the pleading in her eyes.

Eric could see that Ashley cared for him still and was emboldened. He caressed her face, “Can’t I see my favorite girl on her special day?” 

The door opened slowly and Marnie peeked her head out. “Everything alright?” she asked, staring hard at Eric, who was standing with his hand on Ashley’s cheek. At seeing this, she came all the way out, shutting the door behind her. “You shouldn’t be here, Eric. Best better be gettin’ on. Don’t need to start any trouble,” Marnie warned with a seriously frightening look.

Before anyone could answer, Shane was coming outside to see what was going on. His features were set hard at seeing Eric so close to Ashley even though he’d taken his hand away with Marnie’s warning. Shane narrowed his eyes at Eric, “This is a private party. You need to leave.”

“Please, Shane, she’s my oldest friend…” Eric started, pleading with the man, mostly for show. Eventually Ashley would let him stay.

“I don’t fucking care, Eric. You abducted Ashley, seduced her and then HIT her. You’ve forfeited any right to call her your friend!” Shane yelled as spit flew out of his mouth, “Now get the hell off my porch and the fuck out of our life!”

Eric raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth in retort but Shane’s right hook connected with his face. A spray of blood shot from Eric’s lips, spreading across the window like a light rain. Shane’s hand throbbed but not as much as Eric’s face. Shane knew the real pain would come tomorrow if he ripped any stitches just now.

Ashley winced and frowned, worried about how badly her injured husband had just slowed his healing by this unnecessary exertion. Turning to Shane, she put her hand on his chest, “Will you excuse us, please? It won’t take long.” She watched Shane’s eyebrows scrunch up in confusion but he nodded, kissed her cheek and cast a quick glance at Eric before heading back inside with Marnie.

“Walk with me,” Ashley said quietly, slipping her arm in Eric’s and leading him toward the greenhouse for privacy. She couldn’t help the pounding in her chest at what she was about to do.  _ Yoba, please forgive me. _

Taking the napkin from her pocket, Ashley wiped away the blood from Eric’s mouth and took his face in her hands to look him over. “I told you not to come back. You were supposed to lose my number, remember?” she asked as he leaned forward to kiss her but she turned her face.

Eric’s lips brushed her cheek, “You know I can’t stay away from you, Ash.” He murmured in her ear before leaning back to look into her eyes, “I promised I would never leave you again and I can't… I won’t...” He put the gift in her hands, “Here.”

Ashley sniffled as she looked into the black holes staring back at her, “You’ve already given me a birthday gift, Eric. You didn’t need to get me another.” She neatly pulled the paper off in a single movement and slid the box out. Inside, she found a framed picture of her, Jarrod and Eric at the Christmas party. The tears she had held back started falling freely. 

“I found this picture in a box a before I went out of town and wanted you to have it, you know, to remember the better times we had,” Eric said, brushing away the tears from her cheek with his thumb. “I am truly sorry for raising my hand to you. Will you ever be able to forgive me?” he asked, leaning forward for another try at kissing her lips. If he could just touch her lips with his, she would see how much she needed him.

Ashley held her finger up to stop him, “Not here. Did you drive?” She moved her hands to his arms.  _ Damn, he’s been working out... _

Eric couldn’t help but smile. He knew she still cared for him but he didn’t expect her to be leaving with him tonight, “No time, I caught a cab.”

“Then meet me outside Marnie’s barn in twenty minutes. I’ll tell them you’ve left and sneak out while everyone’s busy,” Ashley said, putting her cheek to Eric’s so her hot breath was on his ear. She felt him shake beneath her hands. “Take the center path on the farm, go south. Marnie’s ranch will be the first house on the left. Stay in the bushes next to her fence.”

Eric nodded his head and cupped her face before letting Ashley go. “Twenty minutes,” he affirmed as she walked away.

He cursed himself for not having time to get a company car this time.  _ I’ll come back tomorrow for her. First thing in the morning, she will be mine. _ Ashley cast one more long glance toward Eric before heading up the stairs and inside. He went around the back of the greenhouse and started quickly toward the back of the farm, unsure of how much time it would take to find the ranch.

Ashley stepped inside and looked at the floor until Shane came up. He lifted her chin to face him, “Is it done?” he asked quietly.

“He’s gone,” Ashley replied as a tear ran down her face. It felt horrible, lying like that but she knew there was no other way. 

Shane held her to him, “It’s going to be alright now. Soon we won’t have to worry about him anymore. It’ll all be over.”

“I hope so,” Ashley said as she snuggled into Shane, trying to find comfort but the dread of what she had to do still was too much. With a brave grin she excused herself, “I’m going to freshen up in the bathroom, okay?”

Shane returned her brave smile with one of his own. He knew how difficult it was for Ashley to say goodbye to Eric in person but they had decided this was the best and most permanent solution. What happened tonight would free them so they could finally move on with their lives without worry. Tomorrow was a bright new day for their future, a future free of Eric…

Eric made his way toward the southern part of the farm and followed the path as Ashley instructed. The ranch loomed into view immediately and Eric ducked behind the bushes, waiting for Ashley to meet him. He hadn’t been there ten minutes when he caught a whiff of her perfume and peeked out to find her walking past him.

“Ash,” Eric whispered loudly as he stood. He smiled when she jumped, full of exhilaration for their moonlight tryst.

“We can’t be out in the open. Let’s go into the barn where we can have some privacy,” Ashley whispered as she came into his arms.

Eric nodded and took her hand as she led the way. He helped her over the fence where she waited for him to get over before heading to the other side of the barn. 

Ashley whispered, “There’s a door to the right that Marnie usually leaves unlocked since it’s hidden out of sight.” They made their way over to it. “In here,” Ashley breathed, barely able to speak for the adrenaline pumping through her and the dreamlike state she was in. 

Opening the door, she pulled Eric inside with her and closed it behind them. “Come up here, there’s more room,” she instructed, starting up the ladder but Eric pulled her back down.

“Ashley,” Eric murmured into her lips as he met hers. It hurt to kiss her but the pain was worth it if it meant she was his. Still, there was something he needed to know, “Why are you leaving him now? Why didn’t you come back to me sooner?” Holding her in his arms, he kissed her neck while waiting on her to answer.

Closing her eyes, Ashley responded breathily, “Every time I’m near you, I can’t think and the feelings keep rushing back. Tonight, after he hit you and I saw your gift… I knew we needed to be together.”

Eric leaned back to look into her eyes, “Do you love me, Ashley?” If he were going to come back tomorrow for her, he needed to hear those words. 

Ashley stared at him a moment and swallowed before uttering, “Yes.” The word felt bitter in her mouth, like vinegar, burning her tongue like the treachery it was.

“Say the words, Ash. I need to hear them,” Eric coaxed, brushing his lips across hers.

The tears of deception and betrayal fell down Ashley’s face as she uttered, “I love you.”  _ Shane, please forgive me... _


	29. Out of the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley made her choice but was it really worth killing for? Regret sets in...

_ I love you. _

The words were a sweet song to Eric’s ears. Ashley had come back to him willingly, even with the failed attempt on her husband’s life. He could whisk her away tonight instead and they’d get on a plane, never stopping until Shane had finally given up. They would travel the world together, eating the best foods each country had to offer, staying in the most exotic places and making love whenever, wherever, they wanted.

Eric kissed Ashley hungrily at the thought before practically hoisting her halfway up the ladder. He’d never considered making love in a barn on the hay but admittedly the idea aroused him. He watched her perfect, apple-shaped ass climb up the ladder before him and followed once she was up at the top.

Eric’s eyes were fully on Ashley as he unbuttoned his shirt, watching her back up to the hay bales while biting her bottom lip as she watched. He let his shirt fall to the floor and Ashley saw just how much he had been working out. His muscle mass had nearly doubled and she felt a twinge in her heart.  _ He’s been working out for me… _

“You don’t seem to be in a hurry, I guess you’ve noticed how buff I’ve gotten. I know you like a guy who’s fit and I want to be exactly what you desire,” Eric said as he made his way over to where Ashley stood. He smiled at how she trembled at the sight of him.

Reaching out to hold Ashley again, Eric was stopped by sight of Shane stepping out from behind the hay bales that were stacked behind her. He narrowed his eyes at the man and smirked, “So, now you know who Ashley really wants, Shane. Face it, I won.” He held his hand out to Ashley but she shook her head.

“You should’ve stayed away when you were told to, Eric. If you’d have just left us alone after Ashley came home, things would have been so much simpler,” Shane said, stepping up to stand next to his wife. He put his arm around Ashley’s waist and kissed her head, her hand going up to his chest.

_ This is wrong… Why would Ashley deceive me? HE’s putting her up to it again!  _ When Eric started toward them angrily, trying to grab the barrel of the shotgun, Shane quickly brought his arm up to cock the rifle, pointing it at Eric, his finger on the trigger. 

Shane shook his head, “Your biggest mistake, Eric.” He held up his shirt to show the bandaged stab wound, “If you were serious about getting rid of me, you really should have done it yourself.”

_ He’s right but I’m not making that mistake again… if I could just get the rifle…  _ Eric thought as he smiled and stepped back. Putting his hands in his pockets, he smirked, “So, what are you gonna do? Ashley, are you going to let him shoot me? And then, what? Bury me in the garden?” His gaze was penetrating, threatening like a snake ready to strike. He slipped his hands back out of his pockets, getting ready to tackle Shane, to hit him right in his wound.

“No, not in the garden, here in the barn,” a voice said from behind, cocking another rifle.

Eric whipped around to see Marnie standing at the top of the ladder behind him with her own rifle pointed at his chest. He was starting to sweat but managed to keep his cool. Standing sideways, he held his hands out to reason with them, “Now, don’t do anything rash. Someone important like me will be missed.”

Marnie chuckled and shook her head, “Might be, but you see, my pigs haven't eaten in days so they’re mighty hungry. Nobody’s gonna find you here.” 

Eric swallowed hard, trying to talk his way out of this situation like he’s done so many times before but he was too terrified at the focused rage burning in that woman’s eyes. 

Marnie took a menacing step toward Eric, “You really shouldn’t have come back here. I’ll do anything for my family and their happiness. You’re gettin’ in the way of that. Couldn’t leave the one good thing in my nephew’s life alone. That boy has had the worst luck until Ashley came along and I can’t let you ruin their happiness.”

“I can… I’ll just go back to the city and you’ll never see me again. Please,” he begged, looking to Marnie and then to Shane before his eyes begged Ashley to come to her senses but she wouldn’t meet his gaze anymore. 

Marnie just chuckled and shook her head. She took a few steps forward and said, “Oh, we’re past that. Nope, best way to make sure you stay away is…” 

A thunderous bang echoed through the barn, the smell of gunpowder thick in the top of the barn as tendrils of smoke floated from Marnie’s barrel. Eric’s eyes were wide as he grasped at his chest, watching the blood spread across his pale skin and hands as he fell to his knees. The heart tattoo was tattered into bits of flesh, shredded by the close range of the shotgun blast. He choked, trying to speak but instead his mouth gurgled as blood came out like a fountain, running over his bottom lip and down his chin. Turning to Ashley, he reached for her again with a bloody hand as he fell face first into the hay, blood pooling underneath him, staining the straw red before dripping down between the cracks.

Beneath them, the pigs were ravenous at the scent of blood, squealing so loudly that it was deafening. Ashley clutched Shane’s hoodie as she sobbed with her face buried in his chest. Marnie placed her rifle down on the floor, walked over to the rope on the wall and gave it a tug. The floor beneath where Eric’s lifeless body lay opened up and he fell to the pigs below. The sound of their teeth chomping on flesh and crunching bones echoed through their ears, only slightly muffled by Marnie closing the doors again.

“Well, let’s get back to the party. I’m ready for some of your pumpkin pie and whipped topping, Chickadee,” Marnie said with a grin though her eyes were still hardened. The woman was absolutely terrifying.

Shane hugged Ashley’s shaking body as he led her behind the stacked bales of hay, going down the stairs in the back. “It’s going to be alright, Ash. He’ll never hurt you again,” he consoled, taking her silence as relief.

The truth was, Ashley couldn’t find her voice since telling Eric she loved him. It was the last thing she’d said to him before…  _ That wasn’t supposed to happen… He was supposed to follow me up the fucking ladder to the drop doors, not demand my affections right then and there… _ She was numb. 

Shane, on the other hand, was wide awake, elated, as the rush of being free from constant threat lightened his load tremendously. His only concern now was how quiet Ashley was now that she had finally quit sobbing. Shane sent Marnie ahead to let their guests know they were coming and pulled Ashley to the side. He tried to get her to look at him but she wouldn’t and he worried that her resolve wasn’t as sound as his and Marnie’s.

“Ash, baby, tell me he would have left us alone and I will…” Shane started but she snapped her head up to look at him, tears streaming down her face again.

“You’ll what? Bring Eric back from the dead?” Ashley whispered loudly, coming out almost as a hiss. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, the grief weighing her down… turning her insides, “The last thing I said to him, Shane… I feel horrible, like... I’m going to be sick…” 

Turning quickly to the side, Ashley spewed chunks of her dinner and apple cider all over the ground. Just when she thought she was done, another wave of heat and cold came over her and she kept vomiting until there was nothing left. Shane tried to help but she waved him away, coming up to wipe her mouth on her sleeve. She noticed a spray of blood at the hem of her sweater and fell back to the ground on her hands and knees, crying and shaking with a sudden chill.

Shane wasn’t sure how to fix Ashley. He thought she would be happy that Eric would never bother them again. They’d given him many warnings and several chances to move on but he persisted. Ultimately, it was his fault they had to resort to…  _ murder? No, it was done in self-defense. _

“Shane, I don’t feel so good,” Ashley croaked, holding her midsection with one arm and pushing herself up with the other.  _ Maybe I’ll wake up in the morning and it will all be a dream _ . The small dot of blood on her sweater reminded her it wasn’t.

“I’ve got you, Ash. We’ll send everyone home early, okay?” Shane said soothingly as he protectively helped his wife to the house. He worried about Ashley’s stress causing harm to the baby if she was pregnant.

Ashley shook her head slowly, “No. They’ll be suspicious. Besides, we’re supposed to be spending the weekend with Keelie. I can’t send her home, not when she was finally able to come.”

Shane stopped to wipe the hair from her eyes, “Then we’ll tell them we think you’re pregnant. It’s the truth and no one will question it.” His green eyes were dark and hopeful, completely in contrast to what she would have expected after what they had just done.

Looking away she continued on the path, “No. We can’t… this way, at least company will help keep our minds off things…”

_ Fuck… There’s no going back now but how the hell do I fix this? My wife can’t stand to look at me…  _ Shane quickened his pace to stop in front of Ashley, “Are you going to be able to forgive Marnie and me… or yourself even? I can’t lose you over this, Ash. We did this for us. You understood what would happen if he didn’t leave… We all did... and we all tried...“

Ashley looked at her husband, the conflict of what they had done and how it threatened to tear his world apart clear in his eyes. “I need time. It’s still raw and I can still feel his  _ hands _ , his  _ lips _ on me. I even have his fucking blood on my shirt,” she said, showing it to him, “So, Shane, yes. I knew what we were getting into and I did my fucking part… all too well… but I need time.”

Shane put his hands in his hoodie, trying to respect her wishes despite the growing dread in his own stomach. He tried to reassure himself that what she said was true. He and Marnie came up with the plan after Spirit’s Eve, having had weeks to process and harden themselves. Ashley had only days, finding out the plan on Wednesday after she cut Eric off. Shane and Marnie hadn’t expected him to show tonight but were ready in case. The pair made it back to the house and he held the door open for her, greeted by her sister immediately with the sorry state she was in, eyes red and face pale.

“I went for a walk and got sick but I’m alright,” Ashley said, heading for the bathroom for a cold splash of water and to brush her teeth. Keelie followed with Shane stopping at the bathroom door.

“I’m gonna help Marnie dish out dessert. Do you want me to get you some, Ash, or is your stomach still upset?” Shane asked quietly, concern all over his face.

Ashley stared at the reflection in the mirror, “I’ll try to eat. But just a tiny bit. Might be a good idea if we’re thinking what we’ll find out next week is for sure.”

Keelie’s eyes went wide and she smiled. “So, does that mean you two will be finding out if I’m going to be an aunt?” she asked, whispering excitedly.

Her enthusiasm spread to Ashley and Shane. Despite the fact that they had just fed her ex to Marnie’s pigs, the survivalist part of Ashley fought to grasp at anything positive or helpful in getting rid of the image of Eric’s bloody face in her mind.

Ashley put a finger up to her lips, “You’ll find out with everyone else.” She smiled at her sister before looking to Shane, “Close the door... please. My sweater got dirty so I’ll be out after a quick change.”

Shane tried smiling at her but she’d already turned away. He took a deep breath and closed the door. Before turning back around to their company, Shane put on a less grumpy face and went back to the kitchen to help Marnie. 

“She gonna be alright, kiddo?” Marnie asked while Shane was making their plates. She noticed the very small amounts of cake and pie on one plate and wondered if Ashley was having second thoughts about taking care of Eric.

Shane put a dollop of whipped topping on Ashley’s pie, “Yeah. She needs time but she’ll be okay.” He hoped to reassure Marnie because he sure didn’t reassure himself. It would take both of them working together to support the other or their marriage and everything they had worked for the past three months would be ruined.

Ashley and Keelie came out of the bedroom a few minutes later with small smiles. When asked, Ashley told Keelie she was alright, giving her freedom to sit with Vinnie. Shane waited until Ashley was seated before settling in next to her. 

Tony and Marge did their best not to show concern with the cold way Ashley treated Shane and the puppy dog eyes he gave her for it. They knew Eric was the one out on the porch tonight and could tell they’d had an argument but hadn’t a clue how bad things had escalated. Hoping to lighten the mood, Tony stood with his glass of cider.

“A toast! To the birthday girl, Ashley,” Tony said with his booming voice, “If it weren’t for her, Shane wouldn’t be here today and neither would we all. Better still, we gained the daughter we wanted. Bless you both and, Yoba, bless our family!”

Everyone raised their glasses with a ‘Here, here!’ and settled into dessert. Shane put his hand on Ashley’s knee in hopes to give her some of the strength he had left. She gave him a weak grin before picking at her pie. Apparently she was hungrier than expected, eating her plate clean.

The rest of the evening went as well as could be expected, given the events that had unfolded. Ashley smiled and laughed as she opened her gifts, trying with all her might to keep a normal facade while her insides twisted. 

Marnie had given her a framed picture of her, Shane and Jas reading the story on her couch. Ashley cried at the innocence of that time, longing for it but she put on her brave smile. 

Keelie had gifted her a beautiful pendant necklace with a picture of their parents inside, matching the one she wore. Ashley cried a long while with her sister’s thoughtful gift before she was able to regain composure.

Moving on to the Panitelli’s gift, Ashley opened up the large box to find a sizable photo album with the first four pages containing pictures of their short courtship, engagement photos and finally wedding pictures. There was plenty of space left to add a lot more memories.

Lastly, Shane handed her his gift. It was a poorly wrapped, long, flat package. She grinned at him with an eyebrow raised before pulling the paper back. Framed and in Shane’s handwriting was the poem he had written for her.

Ashley’s hand shot up to her mouth, “How?” before looking at Shane, completely dumbfounded as the tears started to flow again.

He smiled sheepishly and held up his cell, “There’s this wonderful technology that lets you save stuff. Apparently, it’s also handy for retrieving lost things.” Shane thanked Yoba for the way his wife reacted and hoped she would despise him less.

Afterwards, Ashley hugged everyone, thanking them all for the gifts and for coming out to celebrate. When Shane stood to walk the Panitellis out to their vehicle, Ashley watched the way Vinnie held Keelie’s hands in his. It was sweet the way he spoke softly to her and the way she giggled back at him. She and Shane had been that way... before. Would they be able to have any return to innocence after tonight? Ashley glanced over to see Vinnie lean down to kiss Keelie gently on the lips and averted her eyes. She couldn’t let their pure moment be tainted by her eyes… not after what she’d seen, what she’d done...

Shane had been watching Ashley, knowing how she felt because he felt the same. He came up and put his arm around Ashley’s shoulders as they waved goodbye to the Panitellis with Keelie and Marnie. “Everything’s gonna be okay,” he whispered to her but she just looked straight ahead.

A very tuckered Jas was nearly asleep on Marnie’s shoulder. “I’m gonna head home, kids. Happy birthday, Chickadee. We’ll see you all tomorrow at lunch,” she said, bidding the three goodnight.

Keelie yawned and stretched, “Come on, I’ll help you wash dishes before I go to bed.” Her drive was more like three hours and they’d put her to work as soon as she got there. She may be young but she had never worked so hard.

Locking arms with her big sister, the three headed inside. With Keelie helping, it didn’t take long to get the dishes washed and the counters wiped. Keelie gave Ashley a big, hearty hug before giving Shane a careful hug and said goodnight.

Forgetting that Eric’s birthday gift had been stashed next to the fireplace, Ashley grabbed it up and heard a jiggle in the box she hadn’t noticed while in the dark. Frowning, she lifted the lid on the box and removed the frame to find a small rectangular box with a note that said, ‘For Shane’, written in Eric’s neat handwriting.

Shane came up behind her to see better, “What’s that?” 

Ashley held the small box up to him, “Apparently, you have a gift as well.”

Sitting on the couch, Shane carefully removed the tag and wrapping paper. He opened the box to find a neatly folded note. Ashley watched him open it with the words, ‘Enjoy your time while it lasts,’ written in Eric’s beautiful cursive handwriting. Shane turned the note over and looked inside the box again but didn’t see anything else. 

“What the fuck?” he said quietly, “Is this a confession?” Shane looked up at Ashley for her opinion but her brows were furrowed in deep thought. 

She took her box with the framed picture into the bedroom and tossed it down on the chair. “I dunno but I call dibs on first shower,” she said firmly, leaving her clothes on the floor and stepping in while she thought about Eric’s note to Shane. 

He was happy to let her go first, letting her scrub the last bits of Eric off her skin having heard and seen most of what Ashley had to endure to get him to the barn and up the ladder. She was tough but he had to admit that she was a hell of a lot stronger than himself. There was no fucking way he would have had the nerve to do what she did but it was done in the name of love. At least that’s what Shane had been telling himself for weeks now.

Shane had been lost in thought when Ashley emerged from the bathroom in her towel and his stomach jumped. His eyes followed her with a longing that she never knew he had since she still refused to make eye contact. She was fumbling through the drawers for her pajamas and laid them on the bed. 

“I’ll brush my teeth while you’re in the shower,” Ashley said, waiting for him to leave before she took her towel off to dress. 

Shane’s stomach lurched and went sideways.  _ She won’t even let me see her naked,  _ he thought as he undressed by himself and slowly climbed into the shower. While he was washing his hair, he heard Ashley come in to brush her teeth and peeked out of the curtain at her. Even though the mirror was fogged up from their showers, Shane could still tell she was crying by the shaking in her shoulders and the strings of saliva that came away with her toothbrush. 

He quickly finished washing and toweled off to find Ashley had left his nighttime dose of medications and a glass of water on the sink. When he finally made it into the bedroom, she was curled up on her side of the bed facing away from him while he dressed. Shane couldn’t help but cry with her. His biggest regret was letting her help lure Eric away. Worse than watching her performance was how damn convincing she had been. Maybe it was just Eric’s eagerness that gave it more meaning but the way Ashley was hurting made him wonder if part of what she said, about her feelings for him rushing back, was true.

After he put on his pajamas, Shane carefully slid in bed next to his wife, close enough to feel her warmth but far enough away that he didn’t touch her. If she wanted his comfort, all she had to do was ask.  _ If only she would ask… _

\-----

Sunday morning the sky was overcast but the chickens were extra clucky. Shane hadn’t slept very well last night for Ashley’s whimpering and his own dreams. He had woken up at least three times to sooth his wife back to sleep only to wake up as many times on his own. By the third nightmare, he decided not to sleep but just lay there with his arm around Ashley’s waist, curled up against her back as long as he could before she started to stir, despite the sharp pain in his abdomen.

When she did finally wake, Shane pulled his arm back and started to roll away but Ashley put her hand on his thigh, “You don’t have to roll away from me, honey. I’m not so heartless to think you don’t need me as well. I realize it wasn’t easy for you, either.” 

“Thank you,” Shane whispered as he spooned her, resting his cheek on her back. He really needed this affirmation, as small as it was.

Ashley had a lot of time to think last night while she lay there listening to her husband sobbing into his pillow, unable to console him. She dwelled on Eric’s note to Shane and the fact that when accused of trying to have Shane murdered, Eric didn’t deny it but smiled.  _ He said it himself, he would never leave me alone… he would keep coming until he found a way to win me over or until Shane was gone. _ Everything was finally clear to her: Eric had tried to murder her husband. It just never occurred to her that Eric would go to those lengths to get her back.  _ Eric deserved what he got. _

“Shane, I’ve been thinking. You and Marnie were right,” Ashley said quietly before turning to look him in the eyes, “I know now, in my heart of hearts, that Eric tried to have you killed. He said as much last night when he said he would never stay away from me and the note is confirmation. I’m not upset at you anymore and I think it’s important for you to know.” She put everything about Eric in a box; all her feelings, her pain, regret, anger, grief and doubt. It all went in a mental box and she threw it away... Logged it out, shut it down and cleared it out. 

Shane stared at her with his big, green eyes glistening. His brows furrowed slightly as his lips curled into a small, tired smile. “I was worried for us, Ash. Terrified that, after everything we’ve been through, I would still lose you... and our baby…” he replied as quietly. Caressing her cheek, he started crying at the thought.

“Shhh, shhh, shhh. I love you, Shane,” Ashley leaned in to kiss his cheek, “We’re not going anywhere. Together forever, against the world, right?” She gazed into his eyes before kissing his lips sweetly.

Shane closed his eyes, breathing in her essence and breathing out the negative thoughts. When he opened his eyes again, Ashley’s chocolate eyes stared back at him with absolute love. They lay there for a while, comforting each other without words, only cradling each other’s face, until they heard noises from the kitchen, indicating that Keelie was up. 

Ashley ran her hand through Shane’s hair before giving him a sweet kiss. “I’ll jump in the bathroom then come help you, okay?” she said then rolled out of bed and quickly got her morning bathroom stuff done. 

After Ashley helped Shane to the bathroom, she quickly got dressed and got his clothes ready. As soon as the sink water came on, she brought his morning meds in. 

“Thank you,” he said with a kiss, filling his cup with water and downing the pills. Shane’s side hurt really bad. He shouldn’t have punched Eric, climbed up the stairs and wrestled a rifle away from him.  _ It couldn’t be helped... _

When Ashley helped him with his shirt, she noticed the blood bleeding through the bandage. “That’s not good. You did too much last night,” she looked at him sternly, adding, “I’m putting you on bed rest. Every day you over exert yourself is another week of healing which means it will be that much longer before we can make love again.” 

At the mention that she still wanted to be with him, Shane’s heart flipped in joy. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered quietly as he watched Ashley change his bandage. 

Her brows were furrowed in deep concentration, careful not to hurt him further but making sure to clean it properly like Dr. Harvey showed her. “There,” Ashley said matter of fact when the bandaging was done. She grabbed a quick kiss before helping him into his shirt and pants. 

They joined Keelie in the kitchen where she knelt down petting Buttons, who was purring loudly at having another pair of hands to spoil her with affection. “Good morning!” she chimed happily, standing to hug her hosts, “What’s for breakfast and is there anything I can do to help?”

Ashley smiled, noticing Keelie had already started the coffee. “We usually make scrambled eggs and toast and have a glass of orange juice,” she started but noticed the look of disappointment in her sister’s face, “If you have anything else you’d like to cook, I’ll be happy to help you!” she added with a chuckle. 

First, Ashley helped Shane get comfy on the couch. She kissed his forehead and cupped his chin, “Stay put and stay still. We’ll have breakfast done soon and eat it over here with you.”

Shane nodded in agreement, “No more unnecessary activity.” He took Ashley’s hand in his and pulled her down for a kiss, fully aware that Keelie was watching but he didn’t care. He needed as much physical contact with Ashley as she would allow. 

Ashley smiled into his kiss, feeling the wounds of her bloody birthday start to ease shut. Before she headed to the kitchen, she made sure Shane could reach everything on the table: cell phone, television controller, and game controller.

Keelie showed Ashley how to make the southwestern omelets their mom used to make, knowing they were her sister’s favorite. It was almost too much hearing Shane’s reaction, making constant ‘mmmm’ noises while devouring his omelet, making the girls giggle. 

Since Shane was on bed rest, they spent the morning in the living room catching up and playing video games. Ashley also told Marnie that Shane reinjured his side last night so she was good enough to bring Jas up for lunch instead of coming down to the ranch. They reheated leftovers and ate around the couch to keep Shane company until he had difficulty keeping his eyes open.

“Alright, handsome. It’s time for your meds and a nice, long nap,” Ashley said as she took the plate from his lap.

“What’re you gals gonna do while I sleep? It’s going to be boring without my clever, witty retorts,” Shane joked, knowing full well that Ashley was gonna make sure he got all the rest he could. “Seriously, I’ll be alright here. Why don’t you take Keelie around town? You can’t stay cooped up here all day on my account,” he added with a sleepy smile before taking his medicine.

Ashley opened her mouth to say she’d rather be here with him when Marnie spoke up, “It’s alright, Chickadee. I’ll stay here in case of an emergency. You and Keelie can take Jas with ya, stop by Pierre’s, take your time.”

The girls walked to town, spending a couple of hours meeting the townsfolk and shopping before Jas's nose turned pink. When back at the farmhouse, Ashley noticed Marnie had scrubbed the house while they were gone.  _ She may be terrifying but she loves this family... I don’t know what we’d do without her…  _

The four girls sat around at the dining table talking quietly over hot cocoa when Shane woke, indicating it was time for Keelie to leave. 

While Keelie held Ashley in a long hug, she whispered, “I better be the first to know next week.” She smiled at her sister when she stepped back and raised her eyebrows.

Ashley grinned, put her finger to her lips and nodded, “Love you, Keels. You’ll text me when you get home safely?”

“Of course,” Keelie answered before loading up and waving goodbye as she drove away.

Marnie held Jas and turned to give Ashley one last hug before heading back to the ranch when she noticed a few dried spots of something red on her neck. “What is it, Chickadee? Looks like you’ve seen a ghost,” she asked with a chuckle and that same hardness in her eyes as last night. 

Ashley reached up to touch her neck, “It’s just… the spots... Marnie, did we have any guests while we were in town?” Eric’s note sounded like a confession but it could have also been taken as a warning.

“No one of consequence,” Marnie smiled and put a hand on Ashley’s shoulder, “Besides, my family is safe and the pigs are well fed. We don’t need to worry about anything anymore.” 

“Thank you, Marnie… for everything. I’m lucky to be part of such a devoted family,” Ashley answered with a genuine smile. She hugged her and Jas both before waving goodbye.

Ashley went back inside with Shane and locked the door, leaning against it and breathing out a sigh of relief. One day she would have to learn Marnie’s background but, for now, she was really glad to be on her side.

When she walked over to check on Shane, he had drifted off to sleep again so Ashley grabbed two blankets from the bedroom; one to put over him and the other for her. If he was going to sleep on the couch, she wasn’t leaving his side. She would sleep on the floor. Setting her alarm to go off when he next needed his meds, Ashley settled in and fell asleep quickly.

\-----

Wednesday afternoon, Ashley and Shane sat in the exam room waiting for Doctor Harvey to come back in with the results of their pregnancy test. The doctor started the blood test first before checking Shane’s wound, giving him a reprimand for tearing some of the stitches loose. Ashley reassured Harvey that she would make him stay put no matter what.

While they waited for the doctor to come back Shane sat in a chair, bouncing his knee nervously. “I’m excited but nervous. What if we get a negative?” he asked while Ashley sat on the exam table, rubbing his back.

“If we get a negative this time, we’ll try again when you’ve healed,” Ashley replied simply. She was ninety percent sure she was with child.

“What if it’s a girl and Jas gets jealous? Or what if it’s a boy and he doesn’t like me? What if it’s a girl and  _ she _ doesn’t like me?” Shane started rambling and ran his hands through his hair, “Yoba, what are we doing? Are we even ready for this?”

“It’s going to be fine, honey. We’ll be fine. We’re probably more prepared than most, having taken care of Jas. No matter, boy or girl, as long as the baby is healthy, they will love us just as much as we love them,” Ashley said softly, reassuring her anxious husband by running her hands through his hair and smiling sweetly.

The door opened and Dr. Harvey came in with a huge grin on his face. “Congratulations! You’re going to be parents!” He handed the paperwork to Ashley and showed her the word ‘Positive’.

Without thinking, Shane stood up and ran both hands through his hair. “We’re going to have a baby…” he muttered to himself, letting it sink in, before turning to Ashley and repeating, “We’re going to have a baby!”

This time the tears were flowing happily as they hugged each other. Shane leaned back to see the joy on Ashley’s face and smiled, “We’re having a baby.” 

Ashley laughed and nodded, resting her forehead on Shane’s.

Shane turned to Harvey and shook his hand, “Thanks, doc. Now what do we do?”


	30. Loose Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just like it says, this chapter ties up loose ends neat and tidy... and there's an Epilogue!

Detective Woods knocked on the farmhouse door, answered by a happy Ashley, “Detective Gillian, come on in.” She stepped aside and gestured to her to come inside, “Would you like a cup of coffee or hot apple cider?” 

The detective warmed her hands, “A cup of hot cider would be most welcome, thank you.” She stood at Ashley’s island and waited until she had finished pouring the ciders to give her the news. “I came out here to update you on the Eric Waters case,” she said, thanking Ashley as she slid hers over.

The front door suddenly opened. “Sorry it took me so long but the greenhouse is watered, Ash. Looks like we’ll have another batch of peppers in a couple of days,” Shane said as he entered, turning to shake the snow from his hair onto the rug just outside. He pulled off his boots, looked up and stopped at seeing the detective standing at the bar with Ashley. He put on a grin and nodded, “Detective. I hope I’ve not interrupted anything.”

“Not at all. As a matter of fact, I was just about to update Ashley on the Eric Winters case,” Gillian said, eyeing him for a moment for his reaction before turning back to her cider.

When he came over to the island to stand next to Ashley, she pushed his cup of cider over to him with a smile. Turning to Detective Woods, she dropped her smile for a neutral face, “So, hopefully you’ve come bearing good news.” 

Taking a sip of cider and making an ‘mmmm’ noise, the detective continued, “As I said, news. Eric Waters was reported missing a week ago.” She watched the couple closely for their reaction before continuing, “His secretary said he had been out of town on business for two weeks. It’s not unusual, he said, for Eric to often work from home or come into work after hours but he hadn’t logged into his computer for over a week.” 

Ashley’s eyes watered over and her hand went to her chest while Shane shook his head. He had a faraway look in his eyes before putting an arm around Ash. 

“Do we have anything to be worried about?” Ashley asked, holding onto her husband for support, “I mean, we’re still a little shaken that the person who attacked Shane was never found. What if it was Eric?”

The detective grinned grimly, replying, “I don’t think you have anything to worry about and we’re still investigating your husband’s stabbing.” Gillian jotted down a couple more notes and asked, “When was the last time you spoke to Mr. Winters, Ashley? Any information you can give me will help with his search.” 

Ashley pulled out her phone to the last text he’d sent and showed the detective, “This was the last thing we sent to each other. He came out here about a month ago on business and stopped by to give us tickets to a concert; an early birthday present. He said he was going out of town and wouldn’t be back in time.”

The detective jotted down a few notes, dates and took a picture of the last text between the two. “Your last text to him said to ‘lose your number’. Has Mr. Winters tried contacting you since?”

Ashley shook her head, “No. Just before that text, he said he’d met someone. I was hoping he’d finally moved on... I didn’t realize he’d end up missing…” She wiped the tears from her eyes, “Sorry, Eric may have grown up to be a despicable person but he is still my oldest living friend.”

Detective Woods jotted down some other notes and cleared her throat, “Have you had any other interactions with Mr. Winters besides these two?” Something was slightly off but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Eric showed up at the Spirit’s Eve festival wanting to apologize in hopes of winning me back but Shane and I had just married,” Ashley said, absentmindedly rubbing her stomach, “and he left. We didn’t hear from him again until he came by to give us the tickets.” Shane focused on Ashley rubbing her belly and put his hand on hers, a small smile curling up on his lips. 

“You two are expecting, I take it?” the detective asked, her stare softening slightly. These two have been through a lot but she was glad to see they could still find happiness despite everything. It was sweet but she had a missing person, someone who still had to pay for his crimes against these girls outside of a monetary settlement.

The couple smiled at her and nodded. “Baby is due in the summer,” Shane said excitedly, rubbing Ashley’s back with his other hand.

“Congratulations on your pregnancy,” Detective Woods said before swallowing the last sip of her cider. She stood, closing her notebook and putting it and the pen back in her purse and headed for the door. “I’ve taken enough of your time, thank you. We’ll keep in touch.” There was nothing else for her to find here.  _ These two have nothing to hide _ .

“Thank you and have a safe trip back, Detective Gillian,” Ashley said, shaking her hand firmly as she remembered their first meeting.

Shane gave her a firm shake and grin, “Thank you for coming out, detective. Be safe.” He put his arm around Ashley and watched the detective pull out of the driveway.

It was by a happy coincidence that one of Tony’s uncles was the cab driver that picked Eric up to drop him off in Pelican Town. He knew what Eric had done, the whole family did, so his lips were sealed. As far as anyone knows, Eric Winters was last spotted at a shopping mall in Zuzu City before he mysteriously vanished. 

They watched the detective drive down the road before heading back inside. Sitting on the couch, Shane eased down while Ashley rested sideways with her legs thrown over his. Although he was still healing, the stitches dissolved a few days ago and Harvey had given Shane the greenlight to do light activities.

“That was exhausting,” Ashley said, rubbing her belly with one hand and putting her arm over her eyes. 

Shane rubbed her legs affectionately, hoping that they didn’t give the detective any reason to suspect them. “Yep,” he responded, popping the ‘p’ like he does, “How are you feeling today? Morning sickness yet?”

Ashley looked at Shane and smiled. “Nope,” she replied, popping her ‘p’ like he did, “I feel good. How are you feeling?” The amorous look in his eyes answered the question, telling her where this cold, winter afternoon was going…

\-----

Several more weeks passed and they had made enough money with their canning venture to build an insulated shed on the property that would double as another guest house, placing it near the pond. It was finished right on time to celebrate their first Rogers Family Christmas together. 

This year, instead of celebrating at Marnie’s ranch by decorating the barn like they had done years before, they went all-out at Shane and Ashley’s, turning the farmhouse and grounds into a winter wonderland with lights, decorations, tractor rides and hot chocolate galore. Keelie and the Panitelli’s were all coming out the weekend before the Feast of the Winter Star since they all had their own family traditions but the Rogers were looking forward to making an important announcement… Keelie was the only one privy to the surprise, being the first person they told.

Ashley was sweeping the floors before they left for town to grab last minute groceries when they heard a stomping on the porch. She stopped sweeping to look at Shane but he shrugged in reply and walked over to see who it was. Ashley propped the broom up on the wall to join Shane at the door. When he opened it, there was a tall, burly man with short, red hair and a red and white speckled beard staring back at him with intense brown eyes. He looked like a lumberjack in his red and black flannel button up, dark wash jeans and hiking boots.

“Are you Shane?” the stranger asked with a deep, rough voice that Ashley recognized immediately. 

“Uncle Bill?” Ashley said, stepping up next to Shane to get a better look. 

He’d aged well in the six years since abandoning her to the self-destructive recklessness of her youth. The wrinkles at his eyes and forehead had deepened a little and there was a bit more gray in his hair, otherwise, he had hardly changed. 

“Keelie and I have been talking a lot about you guys lately so I thought I’d stop by and bring you two this,” Uncle Bill held out a package wrapped in brown paper. “It’s not much but, seeing as Christmas is next weekend…”

Shane stepped aside and brought Ashley with him. “Come on in and I’ll get some hot cider going,” he said as Ashley slipped her hand in his. 

Bill gave him a quick nod and grin, “Thanks.” He handed the package to Ashley and came inside, taking his muddy, snowy boots off just inside the door.

He followed Ashley to the dining table, sitting while Shane worked in the kitchen. “Sorry for not answering you back and missing the wedding. I didn’t think you had really changed until Keelie finally convinced me,” Bill said hanging his head down. He was unable to look his niece in the eye but it was easier this way. 

Ashley gave him a brave smile, “I understand. My track record was against me. After mom and dad died, there wasn’t anything else for me but it turns out this place is exactly where I was meant to be.” She smiled up at Shane when he brought over the three cups of hot cider and sat next to her.

Uncle Bill wrapped his cold hands around the warm mug and blew gently. “Dad’s farm looks great. I admit, I was angry when he left it to you but I guess he must’ve known something we didn’t,” he admitted, taking a sip of cider. 

Ashley grinned, “It’s been really therapeutic, well, except when the hurricane came through this past Fall. It destroyed almost everything but Shane helped me build it back.” Placing her hand on Shane’s. 

“Well, when Keelie told me and your aunt about what you two have been through I figured it was time to come and see for myself,” Uncle Bill said, looking up at the two of them. His niece had indeed changed in the six years, hardened and weathered having to fight her way through life and still finding a way to land on her feet. Ashley may look more like her dad but she was more like his sister than he cared to admit. He looked around at the house, bright and modern, inviting compared to the dank and dark house he remembered.

Ashley watched him look around and offered with a proud grin, “Want us to show you around? It’s changed a lot since you were here last.” 

“In a moment,” Uncle Bill replied, “First, I’d like you to open your gift.” He watched as the couple gently tore at each end and uncovered a handmade quilt that Ashley recognized as one her grandmother made before she died. This particular quilt had purple, turquoise and yellow printed squares in a star pattern. The moment Ashley saw the quilt, she wanted it but her family didn’t give her anything of value for fear that she’d sell it and they were right to do so. Back then, she’d have traded her body for drugs or alcohol and probably did at one point…

Shane held it up to get a better look while Ashley stood to give her uncle a big hug. “Thank you, so much!” she squeaked as the burly man hugged her back.

“You always loved that quilt and mom wanted you to have it,” Bill replied as Ashley pulled back, eyes full of happy tears for a change. She chuckled at seeing her uncle wipe away tears as well. 

“This is going on the couch for our movie nights, Ash,” Shane said as he carefully folded in half and laid it over the back of the couch. He stood back with his hands on his hips to see it better and grinned happily. 

Ashley came up and hugged Shane from behind and whispered, “We’ll have to put it up when the kids are old enough to walk, though.” Then she turned to her uncle and asked with a big grin, “Ready for that tour?”

They took Bill around with their mugs of warm cider. He was most impressed by her paint job in Jas’s bedroom, making Shane and Ashley’s chest swell. After another hour of visiting, her uncle put his mug in the sink and turned to say his goodbyes.

“I’m glad I came out. You have no idea how happy your aunt will be to hear how well you two are doing,” Bill said, giving his niece a goodbye hug and turning to Shane. “You seem to be a decent guy, Shane. Welcome to the family,” he said, shaking Shane’s hand and turning toward the steps.

“Oh! Before you go!” Ashley stopped him, remembering their announcement. She hugged up to Shane and continued, “We were going to announce it to everyone tonight but since you can’t stay…” She nudged Shane in the rib with a smile.

He tried rolling his eyes but couldn’t hide the smile creeping up on his lips, “Ashley and I are expecting. The baby is due this summer.” Without thinking, he planted a kiss on Ashley’s temple. The fact that they were going to have a child together was more than Shane could stand most days. How did he end up with a decent, normal life?

“Well, I’ll be… Congratulations!” Uncle Bill exclaimed, his chest swelled at the news, “I’ll bring your Aunt Janice to visit this spring, whenever it’s convenient for you guys. Anyway, we’ll keep in touch.” He took a few more steps down the stairs and looked back smiling and waved with a happy shake of his head. 

They stood on the porch and waved until Bill disappeared down the road. “We should get to town before company gets here,” Shane said, pulling out his phone for the time. “Yep, they’ll be here in an hour unless…” he trailed off, turning Ashley toward him, “the guys and I can grab the stuff when they get here. That would leave us time to fool around since we’ll have a full house all weekend.”

Ashley wrapped her arms around Shane’s neck. “You just can’t get enough of me, huh?” she teased, pulling him in for an intimate kiss.  _ This, right here, will never get old. I love this man so much... _

Shane pulled back and breathed, “Never,” before continuing their passionate kiss to their bed. He found it even more difficult to keep his hands off her knowing she was carrying his child.  _ Who knew having a pregnant wife would be so fucking hot? _

\-----

After their final session with Dr. Burke, Shane and Ashley hailed a cab to go have lunch with Keelie. Neither of them were particularly hungry after the news they’d gotten but they had been planning lunch with her sister for two weeks and having dinner at the Panitelli’s afterwards. In the cab, Ashley hugged up to Shane as they rode in silence to the mall. They watched the blossoming trees pass by as the last bits of winter snow melted, making way for the start of spring.

Once out on the sidewalk, Shane held out his hand to Ashley but she wrapped her arm around his waist instead. Before they headed inside, he brought his other arm around her for a proper hug and rocked her gently. 

Although Eric’s body had never been found, Detective Woods had closed the case after an extensive search revealed no leads. His company had been sold and the rest faded into tabloid stories. The couple thought that this would help their case in adopting Jas but it hadn’t. In fact, everything from their breakup to Shane’s stabbing had been taken into consideration and ultimately led to being too unstable a life for a child with post-traumatic stress.

“It’ll be alright, Ash. Dr. Burke said Marnie has a very good chance of getting full custody of Jas so nothing will really change,” Shane said, burying his face in her hair to keep from crying. He knew she took full blame for the state’s denial based on past and present events. He lifted her chin to look her in the eyes, “Trust me, this is for the best.”

Ashley furrowed her brow, “Do you really believe that or are you trying to make me feel less guilty about screwing up your last chance?” Her bottom lip quivered as she fought back tears.

“It was my fault as much as yours and, yes, I DO believe Marnie is the best bet,” Shane replied before placing his hand on her small baby bump, “Besides, we’ll have our hands full soon enough.” His emerald eyes glimmered affectionately at her.

Ashley gave him a weak smile and cupped his face as he leaned in for a quick kiss, “Okay. Let’s go meet Keelie. The sooner we get our minds off the ruling, the better.”

While they were in the city shopping today, Marnie had tasked them with coming up with a baby shower gift list. Keelie was super excited to help being ten years since the last baby was born into the family. They met her inside and exchanged hugs and hellos before heading to lunch. 

Ashley couldn’t help but notice how her little sister kept looking at the growing baby bump and smiled. “Would you like to touch the bump?” she asked with a giggle.

Keelie squealed, “Yes, please!” She placed her palm on the bump and her grin grew larger, “You look so cute and I’m supes excited to be an auntie.”

Shane was getting self-conscious with all the attention from strangers and cleared his throat, “Ladies, can we get to lunch, please? I don’t like everyone staring.” He reached for Ashley’s hand and she laced their fingers, giving him a little squeeze before they headed to the food court. 

They shared a pizza and recounted everything that had happened since Christmas, well, almost everything. Ashley could tell Keelie was holding something back but she didn’t want to pressure her sister. They were still building their relationship and she wasn’t going to ruin anything else if she could help it. 

After lunch, the trio raided baby stores all over the mall to add to the gift registry. Shane and Ashley had decided to go with a neutral aesthetic with grays and yellows since they weren’t going to find out the gender beforehand. By the end of the day, they had a huge list full of items on the registry and some things to take home now. 

With bags and a bottle of wine in arms, they hopped in a cab and headed to the Panitelli’s for dinner. Vinnie, who had surely been watching for their arrival, met them outside as soon as the cab stopped.

He barely said hello to Ashley and Shane, giving them a quick hug each before turning his attention to Keelie, taking her bags and leading her inside. 

“Young love,” Ashley said, shaking her head and smiling as Shane helped her inside with their bags. 

Inside, there was a flurry of hellos and hugs from Tony and Marge, both stopping at the sight of Ashley’s baby bump and taking turns touching it.  _ I guess this is something I’m going to have to get used to… _ Ashley thought to herself, unable to say no to the people who had given them so much by becoming the family Ashley needed and never giving up on Shane and her.

“Here’s a bottle of red wine,” Shane said, handing it to Marge. “We weren’t sure which kind to bring but I remember Tony telling me red was always the default,” he said bashfully as his adopted mother kissed both his cheeks.

“You did well, Shane. You and your Ashley,” Marge said sweetly, “We are thankful to have a growing family.”

Shane felt Ashley’s hand in his and grinned at his glowing wife. As tiring as today had been with its ups and downs, she still looked fresh and beautiful. He was drawn out of his musings when Tony called everyone to the dining room for dinner and an announcement.

“Come on you three, let's get everyone seated,” Tony's booming voice bellowed before helping his wife in her chair. Once everyone was seated, he looked to Vinnie and Keelie, who were still standing.

Vinnie licked his lips nervously, “Uh, as you know, Keelie and I have been dating for almost five months and, well… I love her… and she loves me...” His face was growing brighter red with each word until Keelie held up her hand, flashing an engagement ring. 

“Vinnie asked me to marry him and I said ‘yes’!” Keelie exclaimed, happily, her curled, blond hair bouncing as she did. She grabbed him by the collar and planted a sweet kiss on his lips, causing his face to turn nearly purple before he relaxed and melted into her.

Ashley’s face hurt from smiling. She stood up to give the couple a hug, “Congratulations, you two! I can’t believe it! I mean, I can… you two are so sweet together. I’m happy I get to see my little sister get married!” Wiping the tears from her eyes, she sniffled and smiled at Shane, who’d come over to congratulate them.

Vinnie rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, Keelie and I never woulda met if it weren’t for you guys, so, thank you.” He had never been the best with words but that was close enough. 

For the rest of dinner, the family talked wedding plans and dates, reminding Ashley of their dinner with the Panitelli’s after announcing their engagement. They decided on a late spring wedding in the city with the reception held at the civic center, given the large amount of family members from both sides that would be attending. When they had finished talking wedding stuff, they turned to Ashley and Shane about baby business, namely the gift registry. The Panitelli’s felt it was necessary they got first pick since they had all decided they would bear the official title of grandparents. It was nearly midnight when the crew called it a night after the ladies finished with dishes and the guys finished their coffees. 

Marge looked at the two women who had become the daughters she never had and gushed, “How did Tony and I get so lucky to get two daughters in a year? You two are a blessing to us as well as these boys.” Her hands cupped each of their faces as she smiled lovingly at the sisters.

“Aww, mamma! We love you guys, too,” Ashley said, hugging her tight, “Thank you for always being so welcoming.”

Keelie followed suit and hugged Marge after Ashley, “Your family has to be the nicest people I’ve ever met. I thank Yoba for meeting Vinnie. He treats me better than any guy ever has and I can see why by watching you and Tony… I mean, papa.”

Tony heard the girls and came over to his wife, “She’s right, you know. Shane and Vinnie couldn’t have picked better partners to be our new daughters. You two will keep the boys in line, I know for a fact!” He chuckled happily before Shane came over to remind Ashley it was time to go.

“Ash, we’ll miss the bus if we don’t leave out now,” Shane said quietly in her ear so the Panitelli’s wouldn’t overhear. 

He knew they’d give them the guest bedroom if they asked but they hadn’t brought any clothes. Besides that, after all the baby talk and wedding planning he was looking to spend some quality time with Ashley. They had lost a lot of time while Shane was healing and heavy petting only gets you so far.

“Goodnight, my darlings. We will see you soon? Before the wedding surely,” Marge asked as they made their way to the front door. 

Shane hugged her one last time as Vinnie pulled up on the curb, “Yes, mamma. We’ll stop by next month with Jas and Marnie. The princess is getting jealous of our visits and wants to see her ‘city family’, specifically her Uncle Tony.” 

Ashley grabbed a quick hug and kissed her mamma and papa on the cheek before taking Shane’s hand and loading up in the back seat of Vinnie’s car. Keelie blew kisses from the front seat as they pulled away. Vinnie took Shane and Ashley to the bus stop first, saying quick goodbyes since the bus driver was eager to get underway. They waved goodbye one last time from their seat on the bus and watched as Vinnie drove in the opposite direction to take Keelie home.

“Imagine that, Keelie and Vinnie getting married. I couldn’t be happier, really,” Ashley mused as she settled into her Shane-sized pillow. He was so warm on this cool spring night and she found herself getting drowsy.

He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her arm, “I’m happy for them and the Panitelli’s. Marge had always wanted daughters but they were only able to have the two boys. Now they’re getting two and a grandchild with the hope of more grandchildren in the near future.”

Shane felt Ashley relax and heard her breathing slow. Smiling to himself, he settled in and closed his eyes to catch up on sleep before they got home, dreaming of the goddess sleeping in his arms.

\-----

EPILOGUE

One year and a season later… Shane felt helpless as he watched Ashley work in the kitchen. She had been in there for the past three hours baking, cooling and decorating Elora’s first birthday cake. They’d gotten most of the decorations up ahead of time but, instead of laying down for a nap with Elora, Ashley pushed through her exhaustion, running on the three hours sleep, coffee and cake icing. 

If only their daughter would sleep in the bassinet Marnie had gifted them, then he could be helping but as soon as her body was removed from the steady warmth and heartbeat of her parents, the babe would wake immediately. The best thing Shane could do was let her nap on him and relieve Ashley as soon as he could. 

The door opened and an excited Jas bounded through giggling loudly and waking Elora. “Aunt Ashley! Uncle Shane! We’re here for Elora’s birthday party!” she sang happily and danced around the couch with a gift bag in hand.

Marnie came through the door and took quick stock of the turmoil, mouthing ‘sorry’ to Ashley and Shane. In her hands were a couple of bags and the helium tank Ashley needed to blow up the rest of the balloons. 

She came over to see Ashley’s work and smiled proudly. “Looking good, Chickadee! Not that it’s going to matter much. Little Elli’s gonna smash it up anyways,” Marnie chuckled and put the bags down on the floor next to the dining table. 

Ashley blew a hair out of her face, “At least  _ we _ can appreciate it. With this being our first baby on her first birthday, I wanted to make everything perfect.”

“Well, hopefully it tastes as good as it looks,” Marnie complimented before heading into the living room where Shane was standing and bouncing Elora, trying to shush her back to sleep. “Give the sweet birthday girl over. I need some baby loves,” she said gently as Shane handed her over. 

Jas took advantage of her uncle’s free arms and jumped up for a hug but when he leaned down to pick her up, his back seized up and he fell to a knee. She looked like she was going to cry but Shane hugged her, rubbing her back soothingly. 

“I’ll be alright, Jazzy Bear. I was in a weird spot on the couch with Elora, that’s all,” he said, stood up and stretched, hearing a loud pop and sighed in relief. “Now, let’s get these balloons blown up,” he said to Jas and they got to work.

Ashley took a moment to look at the family before her and the life they had built together, thanking Yoba for finally having a normal, simple life. Though most may think having a kid would turn their world upside down, with the life and events they’d been through to get here, this was a welcome change. Her heart was full.

The guests started to arrive and the new parents caught that second wind that comes when you’ve used all the adrenaline to keep moving, setting your body on auto-pilot. The Panitelli’s, Keelie, Uncle Bill and Aunt Janice, Mayor Lewis, Emily and Haley, Robin and Demetrius, Dr. Harvey, Pierre and Caroline, and Sam’s whole family came out to celebrate. Everyone else in town had come by throughout the week to drop off gifts for the birthday girl, not wanting to impose. At first Ashley was upset but Shane was right, having everybody else was enough and she quickly found her second wind running out halfway through the party.

“I’m gonna crash, hon. I can’t believe how tired I am,” Ashley said, yawing into Shane’s shoulder as she rested for a moment. 

Shane pet her head and yawned after her, “Neither of us slept last night but we’ll all sleep well tonight, I hope…” Another night without sleep meant another night they couldn’t make love having to catch up on the lost sleep. You’d think after a year, they’d have this parenting sleep thing figured out…

They gathered around Elora with their phones out for taking videos and pictures as they sang ‘Happy Birthday’. Shane and Ashley helped El blow out her candle, putting a dot of icing on her nose. Elora’s dainty fingers scooped up the icing and each time her fingers reached her mouth, her little feet kicked happily. With cake, ice cream and presents out of the way, the townsfolk started heading home, leaving their closest friends and family.

A pregnant Keelie waddled over to sit on the couch next to Ashley as she nursed Elora to sleep. “How did you manage decorating the cake and throwing a huge birthday bash with barely any sleep?” she asked her big sister, rubbing her itchy belly and watching her niece's little hand wrap around Ashley’s finger.

Ashley looked up at her sister and smiled, “Love. It’s the most powerful thing in the universe.” 

Eric had told her that once but she wondered if he ever truly realized the depth of those words. Looking back down at the sleepy child at her bosom that stared back at her with her impossibly long lashes, Ashley mused, “You’d be surprised the things you would be willing to do, the lengths you would go, all in the name of love.” 

Elora’s black hair framed her crown in a perfect spiral, her pale, soft baby skin smooth like the softest silk, and eyes a beautiful juniper green. 

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, my gosh! This was the longest story I've ever written so, if you made it this far, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! This has been so much fun to write. I laughed, I cried, gave myself chills and got angry. If you enjoyed my story, please leave your Kudos. I'd love to hear who your favorite character was, favorite moment or chapter or if you simply hated it (please be kind) so leave a comment below.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on tumblr at K8eCreates for more updates on what I'm working on currently and upcoming projects.


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